Brijesh Kumar Tribunal to hear inter-State water disputes from Nov 25

Tribunal is expected to take up arguments on project-wise allocations on Krishna river and also look for possible ways of allocation when the quantum of water available in the river basin is less

Hyderabad: The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal looking into the Krishna water disputes between Telangana State and Andhra Pradesh will resume its hearing from November 25 for three days. The Tribunal, which has been inactive for sometime particularly due to Covid 19 pandemic, has informed the two Telugu states about the scheduled hearing. The Tribunal, whose tenure has been extended, is expected to take up arguments on project-wise allocations on Krishna river and also look for possible ways of allocation when the quantum of water available in the river basin is less.

The Central Water Commission (CWC) directed the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to send all the contentious issues between the Telugu States to the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal. Issues such as the carry-over of unused water from one water year to another as demanded by Telangana and its demand for considering only 20 per cent of the 17 tmc of Krishna water used by it for the drinking purposes of Hyderabad city will come up for discussion.

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Telangana State has demanded that 50 tmc of water allocated for the 2019-20 water year could not be utilised and that the quantum of water should be allowed to be used during the 2020-21 water year. However, the CWC said the Bachawat Tribunal’s order that allowed such a carry-over system when erstwhile AP was the lower riparian State, doesn’t apply for Telangana that became a separate State in 2014.

Another issue that will come up for hearing will be the share of water diverted from Godavari to Krishna basin. Telangana has contended that the State has a share in 45 tmc of water being diverted by the AP government. Out of the 80 tmc of water utilised in Krishna delta down Prakasam barrage, 35 tmc was meant for Karnataka and Maharashtra. However, the Bajaj committee appointed to look into the matter expired without making an award and the CWC referred the matter to the Tribunal.

Issue only between Telugu States

Meanwhile, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, in a tweet, has made it clear that the ministry will not seek any fresh allocations for all Krishna river basin States Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. “Instead, the Centre is looking for sharing of water between Telangana and AP only,” he said. This means that the Centre will only refer the disputes of Krishna river water between Telugu States to Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.

The Union Minister assured the Telangana government during the recent Apex Council meeting that the Centre was ready to refer Krishna water allocation to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KTWDT) headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar if Telangana withdrew its pending petition in the Supreme Court. He was referring to the Telangana government’s petition seeking fresh allocation of Krishna river water among all basin States.

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