Pennar river dispute: Supreme Court seeks Centre's report on negotiations

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Union government to file within two weeks a report on negotiation committee formed over a dispute related to distribution of Pennar river water.

A bench of Justices Hrishikesh Roy and S V N Bhatti issued its directions as the court was informed the talks between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka have failed over the issue.

Earlier, the Jal Shakti Ministry constituted a panel to assess availability of water in the river basin and examine sharing agreements between states and negotiate with all states including Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh to share the water.

South Pennar or Ponnaiyar or Pinakini originates in Nandi Hills near Bengaluru and flows into the Bay of Bengal through Tamil Nadu after crossing Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.

Tamil Nadu has objected to Karnataka’s project to build a 0.5 tmcft storage facility along the Markandeya river in Kolar district, which is a tributary of South Pennar in Kolar district. The facility, which is around 80 per cent complete, aims to supply water to Malur, Bangarpet and Kolar and about 48 villages in the adjoining areas.

Tamil Nadu in November 2019 filed an interlocutory application in the apex court seeking direction to Karnataka to restrain from building a reservoir on Markandeya river alleging that since the river is tributary of Pennaiyar river, any construction of dam by Karnataka would obstruct natural flows to the downstream.

Tamil Nadu also requested the Centre to constitute the Tribunal to resolve sharing of water between Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

The Centre earlier informed the Supreme Court that it was ready to constitute the Tribunal to resolve it. However, Karnataka requested the Centre to constitute a fresh negotiation committee to resolve the sharing of water dispute.