Centre extends Ravi and Beas and Krishna Water Disputes Tribunals by one year

Key facts

• The Ministry of Jal Shakti extended the tenure of the Ravi and Beas Water Disputes Tribunal by one year until August 5, 2027, and the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal by one year until July 31, 2027.
• The Ravi and Beas Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in April 1986 to adjudicate water-sharing among Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
• The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal was constituted in April 2004 to adjudicate water-sharing among Maharashtra, Karnataka, and erstwhile Andhra Pradesh; its terms of reference were amended in 2024 to include Telangana.
• The extension for the Ravi and Beas Tribunal was granted due to exigencies of work, while the Krishna Tribunal extension was based on a request from the Tribunal.
• The four active water disputes tribunals in India are the Krishna Tribunal, the Ravi and Beas Tribunal, the Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (set up in November 2010 for Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka), and the Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal (set up in March 2018 for Odisha and Chhattisgarh).