Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh govt may approach the Supreme Court again to stall the proceedings in Krishna water disputes tribunal (KWDT).
Upset with the tribunal’s decision to take up hearing on water sharing between AP and Telangana before deciding on water allocations to the projects, the state govt is planning to move the apex court again and seek a stay.
The Brajesh Kumar tribunal has already decided to complete its hearing on the additional terms and references issued by the Centre under section 3 of Interstate Water Disputes Act from Feb 19 to 21. AP is of the view that the decision is contrary to the guarantees provided in the 2014 Reorganisation Act to safeguard water allocations to existing projects.
Govt wants the tribunal to start hearing on section 89 of the Reorganisation Act and endorse the allocations made to the projects in Andhra Pradesh before its bifurcation.
As per KWDT-I (Bachawath tribunal), undivided AP got 811 tmc ft of water from Krishna river basin in which AP projects’ share was 512 tmc ft while Telangana projects got 299 tmc ft.
While AP wants status quo on the water allocations already made by KWDT-I, Telangana has been pressing for reallocation of water on a 50:50 ratio. This would result in AP forgoing nearly 105 tmc ft of water which could lead to many projects in the state going dry.
The Centre handed over the reallocation of water issue to the Brajesh Kumar tribunal by issuing fresh terms and references just before the 2023 assembly elections in Telangana. The then YSRCP govt filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the decision to ask the tribunal to look into the reallocation petition of Telangana. However, the SC directed AP to place its arguments before the tribunal.
AP has been arguing that there is no scope for reallocation of water as per the Reorganization Act and also as per the orders of the previous tribunal. However, with the Centre allowing Telangana’s demand to reconsider the reallocation of water, AP demanded that the tribunal should first take up hearing of section 89 of the Reorganisation Act to finalise water allocations to each project.
But the tribunal has decided to hear out the arguments from both the states on section 3 of the Interstate Water Disputes Act and the additional terms and references issued by the Centre before taking a final call on the share of both states in the existing quota of Krishna waters. The tribunal said it would look into project-wise allocations under section 89 after completion of hearing on state-wise allocations.
Meanwhile, in a surprising development, the Telangana govt has hired former AP chief secretary Adityanath Das, who served as special CS (irrigation) for long, as irrigation advisor. Das also served as AP govt advisor in New Delhi during the YSRCP regime and played a key role in getting clearance for Polavaram project and its finances.
Upset with the tribunal’s decision to take up hearing on water sharing between AP and Telangana before deciding on water allocations to the projects, the state govt is planning to move the apex court again and seek a stay.
The Brajesh Kumar tribunal has already decided to complete its hearing on the additional terms and references issued by the Centre under section 3 of Interstate Water Disputes Act from Feb 19 to 21. AP is of the view that the decision is contrary to the guarantees provided in the 2014 Reorganisation Act to safeguard water allocations to existing projects.
Govt wants the tribunal to start hearing on section 89 of the Reorganisation Act and endorse the allocations made to the projects in Andhra Pradesh before its bifurcation.
As per KWDT-I (Bachawath tribunal), undivided AP got 811 tmc ft of water from Krishna river basin in which AP projects’ share was 512 tmc ft while Telangana projects got 299 tmc ft.
While AP wants status quo on the water allocations already made by KWDT-I, Telangana has been pressing for reallocation of water on a 50:50 ratio. This would result in AP forgoing nearly 105 tmc ft of water which could lead to many projects in the state going dry.
The Centre handed over the reallocation of water issue to the Brajesh Kumar tribunal by issuing fresh terms and references just before the 2023 assembly elections in Telangana. The then YSRCP govt filed a petition in the Supreme Court seeking a stay on the decision to ask the tribunal to look into the reallocation petition of Telangana. However, the SC directed AP to place its arguments before the tribunal.
AP has been arguing that there is no scope for reallocation of water as per the Reorganization Act and also as per the orders of the previous tribunal. However, with the Centre allowing Telangana’s demand to reconsider the reallocation of water, AP demanded that the tribunal should first take up hearing of section 89 of the Reorganisation Act to finalise water allocations to each project.
But the tribunal has decided to hear out the arguments from both the states on section 3 of the Interstate Water Disputes Act and the additional terms and references issued by the Centre before taking a final call on the share of both states in the existing quota of Krishna waters. The tribunal said it would look into project-wise allocations under section 89 after completion of hearing on state-wise allocations.
Meanwhile, in a surprising development, the Telangana govt has hired former AP chief secretary Adityanath Das, who served as special CS (irrigation) for long, as irrigation advisor. Das also served as AP govt advisor in New Delhi during the YSRCP regime and played a key role in getting clearance for Polavaram project and its finances.
