Krishna water disputes: Telangana not for Tungabhadra Board deficit sharing model

The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal cross examined Telangana State expert witness on operation protocol on Wednesday.

Hyderabad: The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, which has been looking into the Krishna water disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, cross examined Telangana State expert witness on operation protocol on Wednesday.

According to a release issued by the State irrigation department here, Chetan Pandit, expert witness on operation protocol, Telangana State was cross examined by G Umapathy, senior advocate of Andhra Pradesh.

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Umapathy has put several questions suggesting that models of deficit sharing such as adopted in Tungabhadra Board within Krishna Basin, award of Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal and Award of Cauvery Water Disputes Tribunal could be adopted for deficit sharing operation protocol of common reservoirs of Krishna Basin between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

However, Chetan Pandit stated that AP Reorganisation Act 2014 did not say to implement the Tungabhadra Board deficit sharing model for the entire basin. Further, regarding other Tribunal Awards, he clarified that each river basin has its unique features and a solution has to be evolved for each situation taking into account its peculiarities.

On deficit sharing, Pandit said earlier “the supply to the outside basin areas was as internal matter in one State, now there are two States and outside of the basin, supply is in one State only. “I have therefore proposed an operational protocol to address this scenario,” he said.

The Andhra government, in its petition, had complained that Telangana was refusing to follow decisions taken in the apex council constituted under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014, directions of the Krishna River Management Board and those of the Centre.

The petition urged the SC to direct the Centre to take control of the common reservoirs of Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar, and also Pulichintala and operate the same as per the binding award and regulations.