As per the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the water dispute arises among two or more State Governments when the Central Government receives request under Section 3 of the Act from any of the basin States with regard to existence of water dispute.  The mechanism for settlement of water dispute is already available in the form of Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 which provides for settlement of disputes by negotiations failing which referring such dispute to a tribunal for adjudication. Inter-state water disputes presently referred to the Central Government under ISRWD Act-1956 are related to Cauvery, Krishna, Ravi & Beas, Mahadayi and Vansadhara Rivers.

The ISRWD Act, 1956 has been amended in the year 2002 whereby the adjudication of the water disputes by the tribunal has been made time-bound. Further, as per provisions of the ISRWD Act, 1956, the decision of the tribunal after publication in the official Gazette by the Central Government shall be final & binding on the parties to the dispute and shall have same force as an order or decree of the Hon’ble Supreme Court.

This information was given by the Minister of State for Water Resources, Shri Vincent H. Pala in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha