Inter-State River Water Disputes (Current Events of National And International importance)
Inter-State River Water Disputes (Current Events of National And International importance)
Why In News:
Union Home Minister Amit Shah announced the resolution of a long-pending dispute as Rajasthan and Haryana signed a fresh pact on sharing the waters of the Yamuna river, highlighting the broader constitutional and institutional framework governing inter-state river water disputes in India.
Source: The Indian Express, Page 6, 30 June 2026, '3 decade old problem resolved, says Shah as Rajasthan, Haryana sign Yamuna water sharing pact'
Constitutional and Legal Framework
Entry 17, State List: Water, including water supply, irrigation and canals, is primarily a State subject under the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution.
Entry 56, Union List: Empowers Parliament to regulate and develop inter-state rivers and river valleys when it is declared by law to be expedient in the public interest.
Article 262: Allows Parliament to provide by law for adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys, and may also bar the jurisdiction of the Supreme Court and other courts over such disputes.
Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956: Provides the statutory mechanism for the Union government to set up tribunals to adjudicate water disputes between states.
River Boards Act, 1956: Provides for the establishment of River Boards for the regulation and development of inter-state rivers, though it has rarely been invoked in practice.
About the River Yamuna
Origin: Rises from the Yamunotri Glacier near Bandarpunch peak in the Uttarkashi district of Uttarakhand.
Course: The longest tributary of the Ganga, it flows through Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Uttar Pradesh before merging with the Ganga at the Sangam (Triveni Sangam) in Prayagraj.
Tributaries: Major tributaries include the Chambal, Betwa, Ken, Sindh and Hindon rivers.
Key structures: Hathnikund Barrage (Yamunanagar, Haryana), Wazirabad Barrage and Okhla Barrage (Delhi) are important regulatory structures on the river.
Basin states of Yamuna: Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi and, through the Chambal sub-basin, Madhya Pradesh.