The Andhra Pradesh Government on Thursday tendered an apology to the Karnataka High Court for not responding to the notices issued by the court earlier in connection with public interest litigation (PIL).
Senior counsel, representing the Chief Secretary to Andhra Pradesh Government, orally tendered an apology before the Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Vikramajit Sen and Justice B.V. Nagarathna. Counsel also requested the Bench not to stop supply of drinking water to Andhra Pradesh through pipelines, a portion of which passes through Pavagada in Karnataka. When the counsel requested the Bench to recall its February 14 order “to stop water supply,” the Bench made it clear that it had not passed any such order directing Karnataka to “stop supply of water.”
“We have passed no such order (of stopping water supply). We had only said, “We may have no alternative but to direct State of Karnataka to stop supply of water.” See the grammar in our order. It is clearly futuristic,” the Chief Justice said orally while making it clear to the Andhra Pradesh Government counsel that “you (government) cannot disdain a court order (notices issued by court).”
When the Bench asked counsel for Karnataka Government on the status of water supply, he replied that water supply to Andhra Pradesh has not been stopped.
Earlier, counsel for Andhra Pradesh Government submitted that 500 villages in Andhra Pradesh would be affected if water supply is stopped. Though the next date of hearing on the PIL is fixed for March 6, the counsel for the Andhra Pradesh Government had rushed to Bangalore as the High Court, in its February 14 order, had expressed its displeasure over non-representation of Andhra Pradesh despite issuance of notices.
Sangha's PIL
In their PIL, the Karnataka Rashtriya Kissan Sangha and other organisations from Pavagada taluk had sought a direction to Karnataka for supply of drinking water to Pavagada taluk through this pipeline, which supplies water to Neelakantapuram Srirami Reddy water project in Andhra Pradesh from Tungabhadra reservoir.
