Human rights activists are going to take the issue of Maharashtra impounding nearly 90 tmcft of Krishna River water for power generation in the Konkan region, while standing crop in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Karnataka is withering away, to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) .
High Court Advocate and human rights activist P. Sai Krishna Azad said that the ‘human right to water’ places the main responsibilities upon government to ensure that people enjoy “sufficient, safe, accessible and affordable water, without discrimination.”
While downstream States are facing drought, the Maharashtra government is diverting water from Krishna and Bhima basins to the high rainfall area of Konkan for power generation and subsequent dumping into the sea.
South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) coordinator Himanshu Thakkar, talking to The Hindu , said that Maharashtra had already diverted 12.5 tmcft between July1 and August 6.
Live storage of another 89 tmcft was available with the State.
Such wasteful use of water in a deficit bias should be opposed, Mr Thakkar said.
High Court Advocate and human rights activist P. Sai Krishna Azad says while downstream States are facing drought, the Maharashtra government is diverting water from the Krishna and the Bhima basins to the high rainfall area of Konkan for power generation and subsequent dumping into the sea
