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Tribunal betrays AP
Highlights
Tribunal Betrays AP. The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal gave its final verdict on Friday on the Krishna waters distribution which, according to experts, will prove to be fatal to the state.
Brijesh Tribunal gives just 4 tmc ft to Rajolibanda diversion scheme ; State can now use 1005 tmc of water
Sharing of surplus water will affect state projects on which `32,000 crore has been already spent
Raising of Dam height deprives lower Krishna delta of water supply
The Tribunal has taken 65% of water as assured instead of 75% considered by Bachawat Tribunal
New Delhi/Hyderabad: The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal gave its final verdict on Friday on the Krishna waters distribution which, according to experts, will prove to be fatal to the state.
The state has not been able to gain anything except a marginal increase of 4 tmc of water. The state can now use 1005 tmc ft of water as against the present 1001 tmc ft.
Brijesh Kumar Tribunal upheld Karnataka’s claim to raise the height of Almatti Dam to 524.256 metres from 519.6 metres, which could mean that Karnataka can store additional 103 tmc ft water.
This measure is seen by Andhra Pradesh as depriving the lower Krishna delta region of water supply.
The Tribunal has taken 65 per cent of water as assured instead of 75 per cent considered by Bachawat tribunal and other such agencies throughout the world. The Tribunal did not explain the rationale behind the decision.
The AP Government filed an affidavit before the Tribunal saying that it had not built any project or planning to build any based on surplus water.
After a strong criticism from opposition parties, the state government had withdrawn that affidavit but the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal did not take the incomplete projects into consideration while deciding on surplus water.
The Tribunal has not considered any of the 14 amendments which the state government had sought in 2010 when the Tribunal gave its interim award.
The Tribunal said that the requests of the state would be heard by an appropriate authority appointed by the Centre. The verdict is applicable till 2050. The state which was freely using the surplus water so far will have to do with only 140 tmc of surplus water.
The rest of the surplus water was distributed for the first time to Karnataka and Maharashtra. This decision would affect Galeru-Nagari, Handri-Niiva, Veligonda and three other incomplete projects.
The government had spent more than Rs 32,000 crore on these projects so far. While the advocate for Karnataka called it as a historic day for them, counsel for Andhra Pradesh Sudarshan Reddy said that the state had no right on surplus waters, but only freedom to use it.
As the Special Leave Petition (SLP) is pending with the Supreme Court, Gazette Notification on Brijesh Kumar Tribunal award will be released only after the SLP is disposed of by the Supreme Court.
Andhra Pradesh had filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court, after the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal gave its interim verdict in 2010, even as the State Government sought clarifications from the Tribunal.
The Supreme Court directed Andhra Pradesh not to press for SLP, as it has already approached the Tribunal for clarifications. The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal gave its interim award in 2010.
It stated that the states can seek clarifications or explanations on the award from the tribunal within three months and can file for review. Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka approached the Tribunal. It gave a total share of 1,001 tmc ft to Andhra Pradesh, 911 tmc ft to Karnataka and 666 tmc ft to Maharashtra.
The interim allocations remained unchanged in the final verdict except that 4 tmc of water was allocated to Rajolibanda diversion scheme.
In 1976, the Bachchawat Tribunal made allocation at 75 per cent dependable yields, plus return flows assessed at 2,130 tmc ft. The allocation under the award was 811 tmc ft for Andhra Pradesh, 734 tmc ft for Karnataka and 585 tmc ft for Maharashtra. Its validity expired in 2002.
In 2004, Brijesh Kumar Tribunal was set up, which gave its award in 2010. This time round, Brijesh Kumar gave its award based on dependability at 65 per cent. Andhra Pradesh feels that since the dependability has been reduced from 75 per cent to 65 per cent, allocations have been considerably reduced.
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