KWDT-II final arguments: Telangana seeks 71 per cent of 811 TMC

State’s senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan states water in a river basin should primarily meet in-basin requirements before considering transfer to other basins

Hyderabad: Emphasising the need to ensure equitable distribution of Krishna waters, as per globally adopted practices, Telangana State, as part of the final proceedings of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II, insisted on allocation of 71 per cent of the 811 TMC of Krishna waters for the State, basing on basin parameters.

Telangana’s senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan presented his arguments before the tribunal from February 19 to 21, drawing parallels with the Cauvery Tribunal and the Supreme Court’s decision of February 2018. He highlighted that water in a river basin should primarily meet in-basin requirements before considering transfer to other basins.

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In support of Telangana’s claim, he mentioned the references of the Cauvery Tribunal’s criteria that discouraged the cultivation of double crops, perennial crops, and summer paddy while advocating for summer dry crops instead. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh has several additional water sources, the Penna basin. He also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s grand plans to divert 200 TMC of Godavari waters for extensive irrigation projects, indicating the availability of additional water sources within the state.