TS sore with Tribunal verdict, may move SC

19-10-2016 Wed 18:28 | Local | NSS

Hyderabad, Oct.19: The Telangana Government today expressed its disappointment at the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal verdict on sharing of Krishna river water. It is most likely that the State government will move the Supreme Court to protect its interests of rightful allocation of Krishna river waters as per AP Reorganization Act. Reacting to the tribunal verdict on sharing Krishna waters between the two Telugu States, TS Government Advisor R Vidyasagar Rao expressed dismay. Talking to media persons in Delhi after the verdict, Vidyasagar Rao said the tribunal did not take into consideration the arguments of the Telangana government on sharing of the Krishna waters. “The tribunal verdict threw us into a sort of despair”, he said. However, he hoped that clarity on water sharing between the two Telugu States would come out in the next hearing. He also said his government would soon take a decision on the issue only after going through the tribunal verdict. The tribunal has clarified that the two Telugu States can share the waters and Karnataka and Maharashtra have nothing to do with it. While giving four weeks’ time to these States, the tribunal adjourned the case to December 14. Stating that allocation of waters should be made project-wise, Rao said the Tribunal opined that the two Telugu States would settle the issue during drought situation to use waters. Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said he would react only after a meeting with Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. The government will take a decision on this, he said. Additional Advocate General Ramachandra Rao also expressed discontent over the tribunal verdict. The State government is planning to approach the Supreme Court. As per Section 89 of AP Reorganization Act, the river waters should be shared among the four States but the verdict excluded Karnataka and Maharashtra which are also in the Krishna basin, he said. Ramachandra Rao objected to the verdict for the difference in the allocation to two Telugu States and Karnataka and Maharashtra.