The commission is primarily involved in researching and assisting legal teams representing Karnataka in the Supreme Court and tribunals regarding land and water disputes.
The Karnataka State Border and Rivers Protection Commission has volunteered to conduct awareness programmes on water conservation, and scientific use of water across the state, while also preparing to revise the State Water Policy, 2022.
The commission is primarily involved in researching and assisting legal teams representing Karnataka in the Supreme Court and tribunals regarding land and water disputes.
The 2022 water policy had flagged concerns about long-term global warming trends, which could increase the number of drought-affected areas in the state. The commission is likely to offer suggestions on negotiating such environmental concerns while using the available water for a variety of purposes.
Commission Chairman and retired High Court Judge H N Nagamohan Das told DH that the initiative was aimed at raising awareness about rainwater harvesting, recycling and scientific use of water, advantages of drip irrigation, prioritising drinking water, regulating digging of borewells, techniques to increase crop yield, among others.
“Scientific use of water will increase survival and growth rates of plants and also increase the per capita yield. People need to be informed about these issues. If we are given this responsibility, we will meet students, conduct awareness workshops, approach farmers, and convince them at the grassroots level,” he said.
Das said he had met Water Resources Minister Ramalinga Reddy a few days ago and proposed the idea of the commission undertaking awareness programmes, besides asking for intra-state river disputes pending before the Karnataka High Court to be brought under the commission’s purview.
Speaking to DH, Reddy explained that a meeting would be held soon to consider the suggestions of the commission.
“They have asked that some things be brought under the purview of their commission. We will study the issues, discuss and give whatever co-operation they need and follow their guidance,” the minister added.
Currently, the commission is involved in dealing with the litigation in the Supreme Court concerning the land dispute with Maharashtra (certain parts in Belagavi district), as well as inter-state river disputes such as the two cases concerning the Godavari basin (Pollavaram project), six cases concerning River Krishna, another six pertaining to the River Mahadayi wherein Karnataka, Maharashtra and Goa have all filed litigations before the SC and five litigations concerning Cauvery, South Pennaiyar and Palar rivers.
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