Supreme Court to examine Centre's Cauvery management scheme today

In a crucial hearing, the Supreme Court on Wednesday will examine the draft of Cauvery management scheme submitted by the Centre.

After facing a flak over the delay, the Centre on Monday had submitted the draft Cauvery management scheme in the Supreme Court for its approval.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Dipak Misra would examine the scheme to ensure smooth water distribution among the four southern riparian states.

“We need to examine whether the said scheme is in consonance with our (February 16) judgment,” the bench, which also comprised Justices AM Khanwilkar and DY Chandrachud, had said.

“We will not go into the correctness of the scheme framed by the Centre but examine only one issue, as to whether the scheme conforms to the judgment or not,” it said.

On February 16, the apex court had asked the Centre to frame the Cauvery management scheme, which also included creating the Cauvery Managament Board, within six weeks for the release of water from Karnataka to Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry.

However, the Centre failed to submit any scheme related to the distribution of Cauvery water within the given time. Attorney General K K Venugopal, appearing for the Centre, cited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s unavailability due to Karnataka elections reason for the delay.

The apex court had slammed the central government for the “sheer contempt” of its orders by not framing a scheme to distribute Cauvery water among Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Puducherry.

(With inputs from agencies)