Telangana’s victory, says BRS over Centre’s decision on Krishna waters

Hyderabad: With the Centre on Wednesday deciding to refer Krishna river water sharing issue between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II, the BRS government has termed it as a victory for the people of Telangana.

State Finance Minister T. Harish Rao said the Union government woke from deep slumber after nine years to take a decision on Telangana’s demand.

He said the decision was taken with an eye on the upcoming elections.

Addressing a meeting in Wanaparthy district, he said that the decision of the Union Cabinet to approve the issue of further Terms of Reference to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II under section 5(1) of the Inter State River Water Disputes Act, 1956 for its adjudication between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will lead to Telangana will get its due share in Krishna waters.

He hoped that this would benefit undivided Mahabubnagar district which was deprived of its just share in the waters despite the fact that the district has the largest catchment area of the Krishna.

A project-wise allocation of water will be made by the tribunal. All projects including Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation and Kalwakurthy will be allocated water, he said.

Harish Rao also slammed the Modi government for the long delay in referring the dispute to the tribunal. As per law, the Centre should constitute the tribunal within one year of the demand from a state government.

He said Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao wrote many letters to the Centre and met Prime Minister and Water Resources Minister several times to make the demand. The minister said the state government had to approach the Supreme Court. As the Centre promised to constitute the tribunal but wanted the state to withdraw the case, the state government believed the Centre and withdrew the case but no decision was taken.

Recalling that Telangana state was achieved to get its due share of river waters, Harish Rao termed the Centre’s decision a victory of KCR and people of Telangana.

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II was constituted by the Centre in 2004 on requests made by the party states under Section 3 of the ISRWD Act. Subsequently, Telangana came into existence in 2014. As per section 89 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, the tenure of the KWDT-II was extended to address the clauses (a) and (b) of the said section of APRA, 2014.

While inaugurating the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) last month, KCR had slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi for not deciding the state’s share in Krishna river waters. He had asked people to question BJP leaders why their government at the Centre was unable to determine Telangana’s share of Krishna waters. He had said that if BJP leaders from the undivided Mahabubnagar district have any sense of shame they should go to Delhi and ask the Prime Minister to decide Telangana’s share.

The Chief Minister recalled that the state government had gone to the Supreme Court for determination of its share in Krishna water but the Centre asked it to withdraw the case promising to refer the matter to the tribunal. “One year has passed since the Centre made the suggestion but nothing has happened,” he had said.

Meanwhile, Union Minister and Telangana BJP President G. Kishan Reddy has thanked the Prime Minister for the Cabinet decision. “This decision not only gives a reassurance to the people of Telangana that the Union Government is committed to the development of Telangana but also shows that the BJP always has the interests of the people of Telangana at heart,” he posted on X.