‘Injustice done to Telangana in Krishna water’

Witness for Telangana Ghanshyam Jha deposes before Brijesh Tribunal

Ghanshyam Jha, a witness for Telangana before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal in the ongoing arguments to decide the share of waters between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from out of the allocation for combined AP, stated that scientific assessment of crop water requirement was part of the project-wise allocation of water.

A former chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC) and an expert on the issues of irrigation and agriculture, Mr. Jha, who deposed before the tribunal chaired by Justice Brijesh Kumar and two other members for the first time on Monday. He was cross-examined by senior advocate appearing for AP R. Venkatarami in New Delhi as part of the hearing. He submitted that it was the responsibility of the tribunal to undo the historical injustice done to Telangana from the beginning, particularly when it was part of combined AP.

In response to queries posed at him by the counsel for AP, Mr. Jha told the tribunal that project-wise allocation of water in the basin was part of the Section 89-C of the AP Reorganisation Act governing the water disputes and allocation of water between to the two States. He noted that allocation of water of a river basin to the areas of outside the basin or in the basin of other rivers should be done only after meeting the requirements within the basin first. Krishna basin was the best example that necessitates controlling use of river water outside its basin, he stressed.

Stating that review clause was provided for in the KWDT keeping in mind the changing needs of water requirements in the basins, the witness said the problems (water requirements) outside the basin could be sorted out through dialogue between the parties concerned. After formation of Telangana State, the requirements of the people in the State should be seen afresh to make allocations afresh, Mr. Jha explained before the tribunal.

Advocates appearing for Telangana C.S. Vaidynathan, P. Ravinder Rao and others and a team of irrigation engineers led by Chief Engineer (Inter State) S. Narasimha Rao were present during the cross-examination of Mr. Jha as part of the ongoing hearing by the tribunal.