HYDERABAD: Telangana Irrigation Special Chief Secretary Rajat Kumar urged the Ministry of Jal Shakti to constitute a Tribunal to share the Krishna river waters between sibling States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
In a letter to the Jal Shakti Secretary on Friday, Rajat Kumar said, "Reference must be made immediately to KWDT-2 (Brijesh Kumar Tribunal) to finalise the fair share of Telangana in Krishna waters as per the decisions taken in the second meeting off the Apex Council."
He recalled that at the second meeting of the Apex Council it was decided to refer the mater to a Tribunal under section-3 of the Interstate River Water Disputes Act (ISRWDA), 1956. Accordingly, the State government withdrew its case in Supreme Court.
"It is submitted that as KWDGT-2 is not dissolved under section-12 of the ISRWDA, 1956, it would be appropriate to refer the complaint of TS to the said body," Rajat said.
He also added, "One of the issues being deliberated in this regard seem to be whether the reference of complaint under section 3 of ISRWDA is necessary when another reference under section 89 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 is pending adjudication before the Tribunal. There cannot be any ambiguity on this issue. A clear judicial pronouncement with regard to scope and ambit of reference under section 89 of AP Reorganisation Act is spelt out by KWDT-2 in its order on October 19, 2016."
He added that the scope of reference under section-89 of the AP Reorganisation Act being limited, Telangana thought it appropriate that only a complaint under section-2 of ISRWDA would ensure equitable allocation of the water of river Krishna between both the successor States.