The Supreme Court on November 26, 2024 asked the Union government to place on record the report prepared by a committee negotiating a dispute between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over the sharing of the Pennaiyar river water.
- The court had in January 2024 directed the Union government to constitute a new negotiation committee under Section 4 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act of 1956 to make a serious endeavour for a resolution between the two States.
- In 2018, Tamil Nadu moved the court against Karnataka’s work on check dams and diversions’ structures on the river.
- Tamil Nadu had argued that an 1892 agreement over the river water was “valid and binding” on the party States.
- It had said a river even included the stream, tributaries and other streams contributing water directly or indirectly into it.
- Tamil Nadu Government argued that the major tributary, Markandeyanadhi, which has its catchment area both in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu, cannot be considered to be out of the purview of the Agreement, and hence any new construction obstructing the flow of Markandeya river is governed and controlled by 1892 Agreement.
- The Ponnaiyar/Pennaiyar Basin is the second largest interstate East flowing river basin among the 12 basins lying between the Pennar and Cauvery basins.
- It covers a large area in the state of Tamil Nadu besides the areas covered in the states of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
- The Ponniyar or the Dakshina Pinakini river rises near Hongashenhalli village in the Kolar district of Karnataka state.
