BHIBANESWAR: The Odisha government has rejected a request from the Andhra Pradesh government for consent to notify the final award of Vamsadhara River Water Dispute Tribunal in the official gazette.Official sources maintained that the State government declined the request on grounds that the matter is sub-judice. Publication of the tribunal’s award under section 6(1) of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act-1956 in the official gazette is essential for its operationalisation.
A high-level meeting will be convened by the Water Resources department of odisha soon to decide on the next step as the tribunal’s award and subsequent order have “gone against the interest of the State”. The Odisha government had moved the Supreme Court on December 12, 2017 against the final award of the tribunal delivered on September 13, 2017 in which it allowed construction of Nerradi barrage on Vamsadhara river by Andhra Pradesh.
The Odisha government maintained that the tribunal had in its final award overlooked important conditions laid down in various inter-state agreements held between the State and Andhra Pradesh. Besides, the State government had filed an application for clarification before the Tribunal against its final order on September 13, 2017.
However, the tribunal in its order to the clarification of Odisha government, kept its final award by and large intact subject to the finalisation of the special leave petition (SLP) pending in the Supreme Court. Official sources maintained that the Odisha government had also filed a second SLP against the tribunal’s order directing joint survey in its territory which is also pending.The Ministry of Water Resources had constituted the Vamsadhara Water Dispute Tribunal (VWDT) on February 10, 2010. The Odisha government had submitted a complaint to the Centre under Section 3 of the ISRWD Act, 1956.