Devendra Fadnavis, BS Yediyurappa meet; to oppose Andhra Pradesh, Telangana plea

Maharashtra and Karnataka have also decided to form a high-level committee for the effective monitoring of the reservoir operation schedule, which includes the discharge of water from the dams in the two states.

Maharashtra and Karnataka have decided to jointly oppose Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana, who have moved the Apex Court to reconsider the water distribution formula set by the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. They are seeking a revised formula for water distribution, citing the reason of carving out Telangana as a separate state in 2014.

Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa meets Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Tuesday. (ANI File Photo)

The decision to jointly oppose AP’s demand was taken during a joint meeting between Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his Karnataka counterpart BS Yediyurappa at the former’s official residence, Varsha, on Tuesday. “The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, in its award in 2012, had decided the share of the three states. AP and Telangana have moved Supreme Court (SC) demanding restructuring of the formula as they were one state when the award was given. This has stayed the implementation of the share awarded by the Tribunal, depriving Maharashtra and Karnataka with their share of promised additional water. Both Maharashtra and Karnataka have maintained that two newly formed states should resolve the water sharing dispute between themselves and as per the law that deals with the formation of the new state,”said an official from the water resources department.

Though Maharashtra has not filed its special leave petition in the SC, it is a party to the case. The tribunal had given its award for the water distribution of Krishna river which flows in Maharashtra, Karnataka, AP and Telagana before flowing into the Bay of Bengal.

Maharashtra and Karnataka have also decided to form a high-level committee for the effective monitoring of the reservoir operation schedule, which includes the discharge of water from the dams in the two states. The water discharge of Almatti dam in Karnataka had given relief to the flood-affected areas of Sangli and Kolhapur last month, but experts had criticised the Maharashtra government for the delay in releasing this water and poor co-ordination with the Karanataka government.

Similarly, the Karnataka government was criticised for the release of more water from Almatti dam, which had led to flooding in some of its villages near the dam. The Karnataka government also opposes the release of more water from Koyna dam as it leads to rise in the water in Almatti dam.

“To avoid the dispute between the two states and for the better coordination of water release and management of the reservoir, we have decided to form the high power committee to tackle these issues,” said an official from the chief minister’s office.

Yediyurappa was accompanied by his cabinet colleagues and deputy chief minister CN Ashwathnarayan and home minister Basavaraj Bommai during the meeting.