Jagan urges PM to stop ‘unilateral’ reference to Krishna Water Tribunal

Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct the concerned authorities not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal -II for distribution of Krishna river water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana saying the unilateral reference would jeopardise the interests of the people of Andhra Pradesh.

In a memorandum submitted the Prime Minister in New Delhi on Friday, the Chief Minister said

that such unilateral reference to an Inter State River Water Dispute Tribunal only for two states (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) to the absolute exclusion of the other two basin states (Maharashtra and Karnataka) is not only unscientific but is also against the overall judicious use of water resources as a national asset.

He said in the memorandum that in the earlier meetings, a working arrangement related to the regulation of waters by KRMB was made according to which 512 TMC to Andhra Pradesh and 299 TMC to Telangana out of 811 TMC allocated to the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh. It is a tripartite agreement signed by the Government of India and Governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. 

The Chief Minister said that he brought to the notice of the Minister of Jala Shakti on August 17, 2021 and subsequently on June 25, to take a judicious decision in regard to non-maintainability of the complaints given by the Telangana Government under law without disturbing the settled allocations by the Tribunals.

While this is the situation, the people of Andhra Pradesh are shocked to know about the Union Cabinet approval on October 4, 2023 for issue of Terms of Reference (ToR) to KWDT-II under Section 5(1) of ISRWD Act, 1956 on the request of the Telangana as per its complaint dates July 14, 2014.

He appealed to the Prime Minister to intervene immediately and direct the concerned authorities not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to the KWDT-II.

The Union Cabinet’s decision met a long-pending demand of Telangana. The BRS government had welcomed the Union Cabinet’s decision and termed it as a victory for the people of Telangana.

Telangana finance minister T. Harish Rao said the union government woke from deep slumber after nine years to take a decision on Telangana’s demand. He said that with this move, Telangana will get its due share in Krishna waters.