HYDERABAD: Stating that Telangana has the right to develop its irrigation infrastructure without facing any arbitrary constraints, Irrigation & Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday said that he would personally attend court proceedings pertaining to irrigation matters — including the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), whenever issues related to Krishna and Godavari rivers come up for hearing — to defend the state’s rightful claims.
“Whenever issues related to Krishna or Godavari water sharing come up, I will present myself to defend Telangana’s rightful claims,” he said.
The minister held a meeting with senior advocates, irrigation officials and legal consultants, including Advisor to Government, Irrigation and Water Resources Aditya Nath Das at Jala Soudha to discuss Telangana’s core claims, the current legal status, and preparations for the upcoming hearings scheduled on April 15, 16, and 17.
Senior counsel CS Vaidyanathan, who is leading Telangana’s legal team, and other lawyers briefed the minister about the arguments presented before the Tribunal during the detailed sessions held on April 5 and 6.
The minister said that the government would provide all possible support to the legal team representing the state.
He also discussed broader strategic directions to be pursued during the hearings, including the assertion of Telangana’s rights based on legal, constitutional and technical grounds.
The Irrigation minister pointed out that Telangana’s farmers and irrigation-dependent regions had suffered for decades due to skewed water allocations, and said the current Congress government was committed to correcting these imbalances.
The minister also reviewed logistical arrangements, coordination with the team stationed in Delhi, and the upcoming documentation and presentations required before KWDT-II.
He directed officials to ensure seamless support for the legal team and the tribunal work, including data collation, on-ground inputs and legal drafting. He enquired about the status of related cases and appeals pending in various legal forums and instructed the department to keep him regularly updated.