The NDA government has decided to set up a single, permanent Tribunal to adjudicate all inter-state river water disputes and it will be headed by a retired Supreme Court judge.
Besides the Tribunal, the government has also proposed to float some benches by amending the Inter-State Water Disputes Act, 1956 to look into disputes as and when required.
Unlike the Tribunal, the benches will cease to exist once the disputes are resolved.
Disclosing this, Water Resources Ministry Secretary Shashi Shekhar said, the decision to approve an amendment to the Act was taken at the Union Cabinet's meeting held earlier this week. He said, the amendment is likely to be introduced in Parliament in its next session.
Mr. Shekhar said, in order to give more teeth to the Tribunal, it is proposed that whenever it gives order, the verdict gets notified automatically. Until now, the government required to notify the awards, causing delay in its implementation.
