Title of the Topic:

Interstate water disputes with special regard to Karnataka and Tamilnadu

Scope of Study:
The researcher has dealt with the reasons for the Interstate water disputes, legal theories
involved, constitutional provisions regarding the issue.
The topic is very extensive and there have been multiple cases of interstate river water disputes
in India. The Researcher has dealt extensively only with the Cauvery Dispute as it is the most
recent one and in the mind of the Researcher is the most appropriate dispute to study in the light
of the project.

Literature Review:
M. V. V. Ramana, Inter-state river water disputes in India, (1st ed. 1992)
Inter-State River Water Disputes In India Have Become An Inflammatory Issue In The Last Few
Years. They Have Become Tools For Political One-Upmanship And Have Engendered Numerous
Senseless Acts Of Violence. This Book Offers A Balanced Survey Of The History Of Inter-State
River Water Disputes In India. It Examines The Legal Approaches Through Which River Water
Disputes Have Been Tackled And Suggests Concrete Steps To Deal With Such Disputes In
Future. A Notable Feature Of The Book Is An Up-To-Date Analysis Of The Cauvery Waters
Dispute.
R.B. Mandal, Water Resource Management (1st ed. 2006)
This book is a compendium of 37 papers, presented at the Fifth BAG Conference, held at the
Department of Geography, T.M. Bhagalpur, University, Bhagalpur, addresses a variety of issues
pertaining to water resource utilization and management. It discusses at length the problems of
water supply for the purpose of irrigation, drinking and industrial uses. The contributors also
deliberate upon the problems and solutions of inter-state river water disputes, water harvesting
techniques, subtainability of water resources, water pollution, and the help rendered by

watershed management and remote sensing. The book will be of great use for researchers,
planners and development workers.
Nature of Study:
This research is descriptive and analytical in nature. Secondary and Electronic resources have
been largely used to gather information and data about the topic.
Books and other reference as guided by Library staff has been primarily helpful in giving this
project a firm structure. Websites, dictionaries and articles have also been referred.

Objectives:
1. To understand the theories on the sharing of water between two or more states
2. To study and attempt to effectively criticize the laws pertaining to river water disputes in
India.
3. To study Centre-State relations with respect to river water disputes
4. To understand the Cauvery Dispute in its entirety especially the political factors, players
and motives involved in various actions of the State Government.
Hypothesis:
The water dispute settlement mechanism that is present in the Interstate water disputes is
ambigious and opaque.
Chapterization:
Chapter 1 Deals with the various theories pertaining to water rights. Most of these theories
have been applied in various cases internationally. Researcher has also attempted to criticize
these theories to the best of his capability
Chapter 2 Essentially states the various laws related to River Water disputes in India. There is
little analysis in this chapter but it is very important to understand the laws given in this chapter
as they are used repeatedly in analysis in the next two chapters.
Chapter 3 Deals with how the federal structure of government in India affects the resolving of
River Water Disputes. It also deals with Centre-State power relations pertaining to River Water
Disputes.
Chapter 4 Here a case study has been done of the Cauvery Dispute.