Single Tribunal for hear water disputes

Mains Paper 2 : Statutory, Regulatory & Various Quasi-Judicial Bodies |

From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :

Prelims level : Tribunals

Mains level : Interstate water disputes

The Union Cabinet has approved the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019.

Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill, 2019

The Bill seeks to amend the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 to streamline the adjudication of inter-state river water disputes.
A key feature of the bill is the constitution of a single tribunal with different Benches, and the setting of strict timelines for adjudication.
It will help adjudicate disputes relating to waters of inter-State rivers and river valleys.
A version of this bill was first introduced in the Lok Sabha in 2017 but subsequently lapsed.

Why need a single tribunal?

Any State Government may request under the 1956 Act is for any water dispute on the inter-State rivers.
When the Central government is of the opinion that the dispute cannot be settled by negotiations it constitutes a Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication.
There are about a dozen tribunals that now exist to resolve disputes among States on sharing water from rivers common to them.
The standalone tribunal so envisaged will have a permanent establishment and permanent office space and infrastructure so as to obviate with the need to set up a separate Tribunal for each water dispute, a time consuming process.

Dispute Resolution Committee

The Bill also proposes a Dispute Resolution Committee set up by the Central Government for amicably resolving inter-State water disputes within 18 months.
Any dispute that cannot be settled by negotiations would be referred to the tribunal for its adjudication.
The dispute so referred to the tribunal shall be assigned by the chairperson of the tribunal to a Bench of the tribunal for adjudication.
The Bill can also affect the composition of the members of various tribunals, and has a provision to have a technical expert as the head of the tribunal.
Currently all tribunals are staffed by members of the judiciary, nominated by the Chief Justice.

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