The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to file a special leave petition in the Supreme Court challenging the award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal headed by Brajesh Kumar on the ground that it would result in severe hardships to the lower riparian State.
The SLP comes in the light of a similar petition moved in the Apex Court that resulted in stay on notifying the Tribunal’s award. Chief Minister N. Kiran Kumar Reddy has requested the Central government to implead in the case as its general policy on river water issues had been disturbed by the KWDT award.
Mr. Kiran Reddy is set to lead an all-party delegation to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at New Delhi on Friday seeking his intervention in rectifying the injustice done to the State. The Chief Minister left for New Delhi by late evening flight.
The delegation would meet the PM at 10 a.m. and explain him how the Tribunal tried to distribute even surplus waters altering the parameters that were being adopted for measuring dependability and availability.
“The Tribunal’s award had projected increased availability of water in finalising its award. But the projected quantum does not represent the actual situation,” the Chief Minister said. The award once operational would hit water availability to projects in eight districts in the State.
Meanwhile, during his visit to Delhi, the Chief Minister would receive the award presented by the India Today Group in the best governed States category. The State had been selected for the ‘The Best State – Governance’ award in the study “the State of the States”. The study was aimed at selecting the State that offered citizens the best opportunities both at work and outside.
Mr. Reddy will also participate in a panel discussion with Chief Ministers of Orissa, Goa, Haryana and Jammu & Kashmir besides Union Overseas Affairs Vayalar Ravi.
