The Union Ministry of Water Resources has issued a notification extending the term of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal by a period of two years with effect from August 1, 2014.
The extension of the KWDT-II is one of the terms of reference included under Section 89 of the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act, 2014.
The Act entails that the Tribunal should make project-wise specific allocation if such allocations have not been made by a Tribunal constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act between the two successor States of Telangana and residuary Andhra Pradesh.
It should also determine an operational protocol for project-wise release of water in the event of deficit flows. The Act makes it clear that the project-specific awards already made by the Tribunal on or before the appointed day, June 2, shall be binding on the successor States.
It may be mentioned here that the Tribunal was constituted in April, 2004 under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 for allocation of Krishna water between the three riparian States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra and it had submitted its report and decision on December 30, 2010.
Subsequently, the three riparian States of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra submitted their viewpoints and proposals to the Tribunal in March, 2011.
Following the representations by the three States on allocation of Krishna water, the Tribunal was required to study those objections and submit a further report to the Centre before March-end, 2012. The Centre extended the deadline from time to time till July 31, 2014, but the Tribunal could forward its report to the Centre on November 29, 2013.
Technically, the Tribunal could be dissolved if the Centre feels that no further reference to the Tribunal in the matter would be necessary, according to sources.
However, there was a demand to continue the term of the tribunal in the wake of Centre’s decision to carve out Telangana State with 10 districts on July 30, 2013. The decision made Telangana an upper riparian State to the residuary AP requiring further intervention of the Tribunal in allocation of Krishna water between the two successor States, sources said.
