Fresh terms of reference for Brijesh Kumar Tribunal notified

As per the terms of reference notified in the Gazette of India, the tribunal will allocate water on a project-wise basis for projects.

Hyderabad: The framework of the fresh terms of reference (ToR) given to the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-2) would have wider implications and it would be a victory of sorts for Telangana, senior Irrigation officials said.

As per the terms of reference notified in the Gazette of India, the tribunal will allocate water on a project-wise basis for projects. It includes existing projects, ongoing projects and projects that are contemplated in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

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The overall allocation of 811 TMC of Krishna water made by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal to the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and any allocations made by it over and above this will be considered for the purpose of distribution and allocation by the tribunal.

Besides this the water allocated to the erstwhile AP by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal, especially the water made available by way of transfer from Godavari to Krishna river basin through the Polavaram project and any further transfer of water proposed from Godavari to Krishna from Polavaram would also come under the purview of the tribunal.

The fresh terms of reference were given to the Tribunal in response to the request made by Telangana under Section 3 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The State had asked for referring the water disputes pertaining to the inter-state river Krishna to the existing tribunal (KWDT-II).

It wanted the Ministry of Jal Shakti for confining the scope of reference to the jurisdictional limits of Telangana and AP for adjudication by the Tribunal. The Central Government as mentioned in the Gazette was satisfied that the further reference to the tribunal in the matter was necessary.