AP upset over Krishna water disputes tribunal ruling

As Andhra Pradesh grapples with its bifurcation and issues like distribution of river waters with Telangana, the final ruling of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal came as a jolt to the state expecting an upward revision in its share.

As Andhra Pradesh grapples with its bifurcation and issues like distribution of river waters with Telangana, the final ruling of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal came as a jolt to the state expecting an upward revision in its share.

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The tribunal is to resolve the disputes over water sharing between Maharashtra, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh through which the river flows and is headed by justice Brijesh Kumar.

According to the verdict on Friday, Andhra Pradesh would get 1005 TMC of Krishna water as its share – a four TMC raise from its interim award in December 2010. The state government had gone for review at that time asking for about a dozen changes, aiming at a substantial increase in allocation.

While the government is mulling legal options including a Special Leave Petition pending before the court over the award, opposition parties have slammed the government for not presenting its arguments effectively before the tribunal.

According to Sudershan Reddy, AP’s lawyer before the tribunal, the state now has no rights over the surplus waters. The tribunal’s award would be in effect till 2050 and experts have expressed concern over availability of water to Andhra farmers especially with projects like Almatti in the upper riparian state of Karnataka.