Centre seeks reference points on final award of CWDT

New Delhi, Feb 27 (UNI) The Government has sent the final report/award of the Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT) on the sharing of the Cauvery water among the riparian states, to the Central Water Commission for seeking suitable reference points.

Union Minister of State for Water Resources Jai Prakash Narayan Yadav told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply to a query, raised by Mr B K Hariprasad, if the Caluse VII of the Tribunal's order relating to deficit sharing during the distress years calling for proportionate reduction of share of each state was quantifiable.

About major portions of Karnataka facing drought condition, the Minister said the rainfall in the state was uneven and two thirds of the state received less than 750 mm in a matter of 55 days. Use of groundwater for irrigation as well as drinking and for industrial purposes had increased manifold in the recent decades, he informed the upper House.

Over 97 per cent of the state was underlain by hard rocks limiting the ground water percolation. Of the 175 taluks in the states 65 taluks had over-exploited the ground water resources and a significant decline in its level had been observed in pre-monsoon or post-monsoon period, the Minister added.

UNI