Brijesh Tribunal Meet On 24th July; Telangana Prepares To Approach SC

The Brijesh Kumar tribunal is convening on 24 July and has invited Telangana, AP, Maharashtra and Karnataka to hear Telangana’s arguments over sharing of Krishna waters. This would be the 1st meeting in a series that shall determine an operational protocol for project-wise release of waters in the event of deficit flows. But Telangana is arguing for increasing the scope of hearings now as it is now a separate state and it faced severe discrimination in allotment of river waters in the composite state. The AP Reorganisation Act extended the term of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal but Telangana is not happy with the terms of reference. As per the Act, the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal shall make project-wise specific allocation. But Telangana demands the tribunal have a re-look entirely into allocation of Krishna waters, by considering Telangana’s arguments. 

The Telangana government is demanding the Centre to expand the scope of Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and rewrite the terms of references afresh. If it’s not possible, then cancel the Brijesh Kumar tribunal and constitute a fresh tribunal making Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and AP as parties, it said. “When the arguments were presented to Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, Telangana state was not there. The combined AP state presented the arguments rendering injustice to Telangana,” sources in irrigation department said.  A team headed by Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao, Irrigation Advisor R Vidyasagar Rao and other experts met Union Water Resources Minister Uma Bharti last week and conveyed the same. 

One of the main arguments of Telangana is on allocation of river waters disproportionate to the catchment area.Though river Krishna flows for 68.5 per cent catchment area in Telangana and availability of water was 224 tmc, the allocation is 298.96 tmc.  The catchment in coastal Andhra was 13.11 per cent and water availability was 40 tmc. But, the allocation for Andhra is 367.34 tmc. The catchment area in Rayalaseema was 18.39 per cent and the availability of water was 93 tmc. The allocation for Rayalaseema is 173.80 tmc.

Telangana has already impleaded itself in the SC hearing on objections of AP and Karnataka over Brijesh Kumar tribunals final award. If Centre does not respond positively to Telangana’s request to expand scope of Brijesh Kumar tribunal or set up a new tribunal, Telangana Government is preparing to file a special leave petition in SC on the issue and go all out to get it’s rightful share in Krishna waters to avoid the suffering it has been undergoing for decades.