Andhra Pradesh and Telangana States, which are at loggerheads over the issue of sharing water in the joint projects, have decided to present their respective stands on supervision/management of water releases by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) before the three-member experts committee to be set up by Central Water Commission (CWC).
A meeting between the water resources authorities of the two States was held here on Tuesday to discuss the working arrangement on the issue to be followed during the ongoing water year, from June 2016 to May 2017, following a suggestion made by Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharati after the two States failed to arrive at an understanding over three days of meeting held in Delhi during the last week of June.
Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) of Telangana S.K. Joshi and Secretary (Water Resources) of Andhra Pradesh Shashibushan Kumar and other officials of the Irrigation Departments of the two States participated in the meeting. Officials stated that the meeting discussed the issues of the management of KRMB, including release of funds, working arrangement on water sharing and the experts committee.
The two sides agreed to meet again in three-four days to have further discussions on the report to be submitted to the Centre on the working arrangement. It was, however, not decided whether the two States would submit a join report or separate documents. It is stated that the two sides are favouring sending separate reports since there was lack of unanimity on the issue.
Mr. Joshi stated after the meeting that the Centre was likely to take a decision on the working arrangement for water sharing based on the recommendations of the experts’ committee as the project-wise allocation was to be made by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal. “The Centre is yet to appoint experts on the committee and once it is done, we will present our stand on the issue before it so that it can take a decision before reservoirs get sufficient inflows for sharing of waters for irrigation, drinking and other needs,” he said.
Welcoming the Centre’s decision for setting up the experts’ panel, Mr. Shashibhushan Kumar said AP would present its views on the working arrangement for water sharing to the CWC committee.
