Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal is a common tribunal to solve river water disputes, created by the Government of India on 10 April 1969.
Detailed information The Government of India (GoI) constituted a common tribunal on 10 April 1969 to solve the river water utilization disputes about the river basin states of Godavari and Krishna rivers under the provisions of Interstate River Water Disputes Act – 1956. The common tribunal was headed by Sri RS Bachawat as its chairman with Sri DM Bhandari and Sri DM Sen as its members.
Godavari River basin spreads through the states of Telangana (TS), Maharashtra (MR), Odisha, old Madhya Pradesh {later bifurcated into present Madhya Pradesh (MP) and Chhattisgarh}, Karnataka (K) and Andhra Pradesh (AP). Krishna River basin states Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh insisted on the quicker verdict as it had become more expedient for the construction of irrigation projects in Krishna basin. So the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) could not proceed until the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal final verdict was submitted, the verdict was submitted to the Government on 27 May 1976.Appendix U (pages 293 and 294) of Volume III, KWDT report in 1973
Before the reorganization of the states in 1956, the Planning Commission conducted a meeting on 27 July 1951 involving the then Godavari river basin states: Bombay State, Hyderabad State, Madras State, and Madhya Pradesh state, excluding Odisha state. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss and finalize the utilization of Godavari river water among the riparian states. A memorandum of agreement (found on page 105 of the draft GWDT report) was prepared and later ratified by the participating states. According to the agreement, water allocations were to be reviewed after 25 years, specifically on 27 July 1976.
As the old agreement was nearing expiration, all five states of the Godavari river basin, including Odisha, signed a new agreement on 19 December 1975. This new agreement pertained to the sanction and clearance of projects in accordance with certain bilateral agreements that were made between them after the formation of the GWDT.
This agreement, together with its annexures, was filed before the GWDT on 12 July 1976. The voluntary cooperation shown by the disputing states through this gesture made the process easier for the Tribunal. However, the states of Odisha and Chhattisgarh were unable to reach an agreement with Andhra Pradesh on various aspects related to the Polavaram dam, such as Full Reservoir Level (FRL)/Maximum Water Level (MWL), spillway design capacity, and flood gates operation schedule during the flood season. The GWDT adjudicated on this issue, and its decision can be found in clause VI of its final order (page 25 of the final GWDT report).
The remaining sections of the final order address the definition of 'water uses' (clauses I & II), 'water use measurement' (clause III A & B), 'water use and losses accounting in a water year from the storage in a reservoir' (clause III C), 'export of Godavari waters to other river basins' (clause IV), 'agreements related to the Godavari river' (clause V), 'Godavari waters' (clause VIII b), and other relevant aspects to interpret and implement the various agreements between the states.
The final report of the GWDT was submitted to the Government of India on 7 July 1980 for approval and notification. The Government of India accepted the verdict of the GWDT and made it legally binding on the river basin states in 1980. The agreements reached between the riparian states at the sub-basin level are reviewed and approved by all riparian states within the entire Godavari basin. Once the tribunal award is accepted, no state can withdraw from the total tribunal award.
The tribunal award applies in full to all riparian states, and no state can obstruct the construction of an agreed-upon or identified interstate project on any grounds by refusing to cooperate.
Water allocations The water used under the existing / completed major, medium & minor irrigation projects up to 6 October 1975 is protected in all the states. The water use sanctioned / cleared up to 6 October 1975 for the major, medium & minor irrigation projects is also protected in all the states. The river basin is mainly bifurcated into the following broad areas to share the river water:
The catchment area located upstream of Pochampadu dam site. Rest of the river downstream of Pochampadu dam site including major tributaries Pranhita, Indravati, and Sabari.
Upstream of Pochampadu dam site This river basin area is further subdivided into the following areas:
Catchment area upstream the Paithan dam site on Godavari: All the water available up to Paithan dam site is allotted to MR for its use. Catchment area upstream Siddheshwar Dam site on Purna tributary: All the water available up to Siddheswar dam site is allotted to MR for its use. Catchment area upstream Nizamsagar dam site on Manjira tributary: Karnataka can use 13.10 thousand million cubic feet (tmc) under Karanja Project and 1.17tmc under Chukinala Project (Page 86 of original GWDT)
MR can use 22 tmc up to Nizamsagar dam site on Manjira River (Page 90 of original GWDT)
AP can draw 4 tmc for drinking water of Hyderabad city. 58 TMC is agreed and protected water use under the existing Nizamsagar project. (Page 90 of original GWDT)
One tmc water lifting from the Manjira river is allowed by Karnataka. (Page 133 of original GWDT)
Catchment area upstream of Pochampadu dam site but below Nizamsagar, Siddheswar and Paithan dam sites: MR should not use more than 60 tmc in a water year from the waters of this area. As submitted to the Supreme Court (section 19), MR was using / developing projects for 42 tmc water utilisation in this catchment area before 6 October 1975 agreement with AP, The total permitted water usage from the water generated in this catchment area by MR is 102 tmc. K should not use more than 2.5 tmc in a water year (Page 133 of original GWDT) and AP is at liberty to use remaining waters available at Pochampadu dam site.
Supreme court verdict (section 83 ii b) on Babli Project dispute stipulated that the gates of Babhali barrage remain lifted during the monsoon season, i.e., 1 July to 28 October and there is no obstruction to the natural flow of Godavari river during monsoon season below the three dams (Paithan, Siddheshwar & Nizamsagar dams) mentioned in clause II (i) of the agreement dated 6 October 1975 towards Pochampad dam. Thus Pochampadu reservoir is accorded priority over any other reservoir (major, medium, minor, barrage, etc.) to receive the water generated from the Godavari basin area located below these three dams. As stipulated by Supreme court, central government has set up a monitoring committee to implement / supervise the water sharing as per the agreement dated 6 October 1975 and the supreme court verdict.
Downstream of Pochampadu dam site MR, AP and old MP states can use 300 tmc each and Odisha can use 200 tmc for new projects / uses.
This river catchment area is further subdivided into the following areas (not complete list):
Catchment area upstream Lower Penganga dam on Penganga tributary: All the water available up to Lower Penganga dam is allotted to MR subject to the condition that this project would be taken up as joint project of MR and AP. Warda sub basin: MP should not use more than 9 tmc for its existing, ongoing and proposed projects upstream of upper Warda project of MR. MP can also use additionally 1 tmc for its existing, ongoing and proposed projects located in the remaining sub basin. Indravati tributary: Odisha state can use all the water of Indravati tributary in its territory except 45 tmc subject to the condition that minimum 85 tmc is exported outside the Godavari basin from the Upper Indravati project. During the water years, when the water export is below 85 tmc, the water made available to Chhattisgarh state is proportionately reduced. Chhattisgarh state should not use more than 273 tmc upstream of Bhopalapatnam hydro electric project in Indravati sub basin. Sabari tributary: Odisha state can use all the water of Sabari (Kolab) tributary up to the point where Sabari river forms common boundary between Odisha and Chhattisgarh states. Additionally, Odisha can use not exceeding 40 tmc from the projects in its territory for its existing, ongoing and new projects. Further Odisha can use not exceeding 27 tmc by withdrawals from the Sabari main river up to Sileru river confluence point for its existing, ongoing and new projects.
Chhattisgarh state can use all the water of Sabari (Kolab) tributary up to the point where Sabari river forms common boundary between Odisha and Chhattisgarh states. Additionally, Chhattisgarh can use all the available water upstream of the listed projects (annexure F of GWDT report) in its territory for its existing, ongoing and new projects. Further, Chhattisgarh can use not exceeding 18 tmc by withdrawals from the Sabari main river up to Sileru river confluence point for its existing, ongoing and new projects.
Sileru sub basin: The states of Odisha and AP shall continue to use as per the earlier agreement dated 4 September 1962 and 1946 Agreement between Madras and Odisha states.
Interstate projects These agreements also permit to construct various interstate projects such as Pochampadu project between MR and AP, Lower Penganga project between MR and AP, Pranhita barrages between MR and AP, Lendi project between MR and AP, Bhopalpatnam Hydro electric project between MR and Chhattisgarh, Inchampalli project between MR, Chhattisgarh and AP, Lower Sileru irrigation scheme between AP and Odisha, Polavaram Project between Odisha, Chhattisgarh and AP, future projects across Sabari river between Odisha and Chhattisgarh, Singoor project between Karnataka and AP, Storage projects located in MP for water use in MR, etc.
Scientific approach When rain falls on the land mass, soil absorbs a part of rain water and remaining part of the rain water joins the nearby stream by flowing on the surface of soil. Some of the water absorbed by the soil gets evaporated from the soil, some part of the remaining water in the soil emerges into the surface stream as seepage flows and rest of water collects in the underground aquifer as ground water. This process also takes place when the land is irrigated by surface water. The surface run off and the subsurface seepage out of the total rainfall is the available water in the river basin after deducting the natural evaporation loss from the naturally formed water bodies (both perennial and non perennial) in the river basin in a water year. The water thus available is called primary water supplies / flows in a river.
If there is no ground water extraction, over a period of time all ground water aquifers get saturated fully and further ground water percolation to the aquifers would join the river streams as enhanced seepage flows / base flows. Thus any underground water extraction / use from the river basin aquifers reduce the primary water flows in the river basin.