‘Andhra Pradesh stand on PRLIS not tenable’

Out of the total share AP was permitted to avail, over 300 tmc of water was being diverted to meet its needs beyond the basin

Hyderabad: The formation of Telangana state owed mainly to the denial of right share of Krishna water and even after the division, there was no major move that could help undo the injustice meted out to the state, contended senior counsel C S Vaidyanathan on Friday.

Making strong case of the state’s deprival before the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II) in New Delhi, he said going by the basin parameters, Telangana State was entitled for 70 per cent of the allocation made to the erstwhile undivided Andhra Pradesh. But it was permitted to avail only little over 30 per cent of it.

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He pointed out that AP was reallocated 512 TMC out of the 811 TMC allocated by the KWDT-1 for the undivided state. Out of the total share AP was permitted to avail, over 300 tmc of water was being diverted to meet its needs beyond the basin.

Senior counsel of Telangana pleaded that the Palamuru Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation scheme (PRLIS) was taken up by the erstwhile AP in 2013 and Telangana had started work on the project by changing the source of drawal from Jurala project to Srisailam with the extent of ayacut to be fed remaining the same.

Counsel of Telangana has further stated that the Apex Council was the only competent authority to give approval to the projects and AP’s contention against the PRLIS was not maintainable before the Tribunal. Both states had agreed before the Supreme Court in 2016 that the jurisdiction in the matter of construction of PRLIS project vests with the Apex Council.

Based on the Supreme Court directions, the Apex Council meeting was held to decide on the issue in 2016. Contrary to that, AP has filed it application before the Tribunal challenging the allocation of assured water to the project. Counsel for AP Umapathi maintained that Apex Counsel has no adjudicatory power.

Telangana counsel, however, asserted that there was no change in other parameters of the project except the location for lifting of water. He stated that to get the environmental and CWC clearances it was necessary to show dependable water to the PRLIS project.

As a result, the states saving of 45 TMC from its utilisation from minor irrigation TMC were reallocated to PRLIS. Making up for Telangana’s entitlement from the 80 TMC water diverted from Godavari by AP as per GWDT Award, 45 TMC were allocated to PRLIS.

A total allocation of 90 TMC of dependable water shown to take up the PRLIS, he maintained.