Leaders of all Political Parties who met under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy unanimously resolved to fight simultaneously politically and legally to protect the rights of Andhra Pradesh on the decision of the Brajesh Kumar Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II. The Chief Minister is also likely to lead an all Party delegation to the Government of India to protect the overall interests of Andhra Pradesh.
The Chief Minister said that after discussing all the issues raised and suggestions made by the leaders of the political parties with the experts and legal authorities, an all party meeting will again be convened to give a final shape to the fresh SLP. The Chief Minister today had a four-hour long meeting with the leaders of all political parties, Ministers and higher officials on Brajesh Kumar report at Secretariat.
Major Irrigation Minister P Sudarshan Reddy, Finance Minister Anam Ramnarayan Reddy, School Education Minister Parathasarathy, M. Kodanada Reddy and M Budha Prasad (Congress), Kodela Sivaprasad and R Chandrasekhara Reddy (TDP), Vidyasagar Rao and Vinod Kumar (TRS), Konathala Ramakrishna and Sobha Nagi Reddy (YSRCP), K Narayana, G.Mallesh and Ramakrishna (CPI), B.V.Raghavulu, J.Ranga Reddy and S. Malla Reddy (CPM), N Janardhan Reddy and Seshagiri Rao (BJP), Jaya Prakash Narayana (Lok Satta) and Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri (MIM), Advocate General Sudarshan Reddy, Principal Secretaries (Irrigation) B Arvind Reddy and Adityanath Das and other officials participated in the meeting.
The Chief Minister reiterated the overall interest of the State will be protected and said we will fight for water for all the projects including that of Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda and Rayalaseema districts. Leaders of each political party spoke at length and made suggestions on how to go about the SLP.
Kiran Kumar Reddy in his opening remarks said that two all party meetings were held under his chairmanship on 15th February and 22nd March, 2011 and discussions were held on KWDT-II decision dated 30.12.2010 and it was decided to file on SLP before the Supreme Court and to seek clarifications before the Tribunal. Accordingly, SLP was filed on 28.3.2011.
After hearing the stay petition on 16.9.2011 the Supreme Court observed that the matter would required detailed consideration. The Supreme Court directed the Government of India not to publish section 5(3) decision of KWDT-II in the Official Gazette pending disposal of SLP.
Interfering in the discussions of the meeting, the Chief Minister categorically stated that the Government will protect every right for the River waters pending to the State and there is no second thought on it. The suggestions from farmers associations are already sought and the advices of technical experts are also being taken, the Chief Minister added.
Kiran Kumar Reddy also said that lot of injustice were done to our State in the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal decision. Waters were allocated by showing reason that Almatti Dam is already constructed, but at the same time, the Tribunal did not allocate any water for the projects constructed and completed by Andhra Pradesh Government.
Officials explained that as per proviso to Sec.4(1) of ISRWD Act, the disputes earlier settled by KWDT-I cannot be reopened. Allocation of water at different dependabilities vitiates principles of equitable distribution. Unilateral adoption of 47 years series without providing opportunity to party States in violation of principles of natural justice. Having opined that water cannot be distributed at 50% or average without carryover storages, yet distributed flows up to average contrary to its own findings. The Tribunal overlooked the issue of earmarking 150 TMC towards carry over storage to Andhra Pradesh at the first instance from the flows over and above 2130 TMC. Settled matters of 78 years series, 75% dependability and Westward diversion by KWDT-I are reopened.
Officials explained that excess storage of 37 TMC in Almatti Dam at FRL + 519.60m is established by Andhra Pradesh, but the same was not considered. Jurisdictional error in increasing the height of Almatti dam up to +524.256 m in the absence of any evidence from the State of Karnataka. On 11.7.2011, Andhra Pradesh filed stay petition (IA-3/2011) in SLP 10498/2011 before Supreme Court to stay the operation of the decision of KWDT-II, and to stay further proceedings before the KWDT-II under section 5(3) of the Act pending disposal of the SLP. After hearing the stay petition on 16.9.2011, the Supreme Court observed that the matter would require detailed consideration. The Supreme Court directed the Union Government not to publish Section 5(3) decision of KWDT-II in the Official Gazette pending disposal of SLP. (INN)