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Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal (CWDT)

History and Awards

Inter-state river water disputes in India are adjudicated by tribunals constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. The Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in 1990 after decades of unresolved dispute. It delivered its Final Award in 2007 and a further Supplementary Report in 2013.

Key details

CWDT constituted: 1990 (under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956).
CWDT Final Award: 2007.
Karnataka allocated: 270 TMC feet annually.
Tamil Nadu allocated: 419 TMC feet annually (reduced to 404.25 TMC after Supreme Court revision).
Kerala: 30 TMC feet. Puducherry: 7 TMC feet.
Supreme Court verdict: February 16, 2018 — upheld the CWDT award with modifications:
Karnataka's allocation increased by 14.75 TMC to 284.75 TMC feet.
Tamil Nadu's share revised to 404.25 TMC feet annually.
Kerala: 30 TMC feet. Puducherry: 7 TMC feet.
The Supreme Court also directed the Union government to constitute the Cauvery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Cauvery Water Regulation Committee (CWRC) to implement the award — both constituted in 2018.
The CWDT award explicitly allocated the full assessed Cauvery basin yield — Tamil Nadu's core argument is that there is no unallocated surplus for Mekedatu to store.