It is perplexing as to why it took 17 years for such an award to be made. Surely, this award could have been made in 17 months?
Unfortunately, successive governments have used the Cauvery issue as a political tool. Not once has there been an honest attempt to sit across the table with facts and figures and arrive at an amicable solution. More than anything else, water should have been treated as a national resource and the optimum utilization of this scarce resource should have been the guiding principle.
The tribunal seems to have missed the ground realities and possible repurcussions while announcing the award. The aftermath of the interim award in 1991 seems to have been ignored in totality. Further, in announcing certain numbers, the award has caused utter confusion among common people and this has thrown open the doors for politicians and vested interests to exploit.
Even now, it is not too late to undo the damage. What is required is statesmanship and a realization that all people depending on the river are Indians first and everything else next.
As an example, instead of announcing 419 TMC ft for Tamil Nadu and 270 TMC ft for Karnataka, which prima facie has been interpreted as a raw deal for Karnataka, the tribunal could have fixed the quantum of water to be released by Karnataka in normal and sub-normal years. As a hypothetical example, if the award had said that in a normal year, Karnataka could retain 66.67% (2/3rds) of the water and release 33.33% (1/3rd), much of the confusion could have been avoided. While the actual figures would not have changed dramatically, psychologically Karnataka would probably have been satisfied. Similarly, in a distress year, where the rainfall was less than 75% of the normal, Karnataka could have been allowed to retain 3/4 and asked to release 1/4.
In summary, if only the human element had been kept in mind instead of cold facts, and if the award had relied on percentages or ratios as opposed to absolute numbers, much of the hearburn could perhaps have been avoided.
It is hoped that even now wisdom will prevail on all concerned. As ordinary citizens, all that we are interested is in a peaceful India where we can get on with the work of nation-building. We have had enough of strife over the last 60 years. It is time to say enough is enough and to move on.
