No fresh allocation of Krishna river water among all basin states: Centre assures

Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat has clarified that his ministry will not go for making fresh allocation of Krishna river water among all river basin states- Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, instead the Centre is looking for sharing of water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana only, Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Prahlad Joshi said on Tuesday.

"I spoke to Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Krishna river water issue and he said that Krishna river allocation to Karnataka has already completed. Now the Centre is discussing on water allocation between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," Joshi tweeted.

"The Centre will only now refer the Krishna water sharing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal. This means, the Tribunal has to share erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh share of 1005 tmc feet of Krishna river water between newly created Telangana and Andhra Pradesh," said an official in the Jalshakti Ministry.

Earlier, Union Minister Shekhawat's assurance to Telangana Government to refer the Krishna river water sharing dispute between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal had triggered speculation if the Centre will open the door for fresh allocation of river water among all river basin states- Karnataka, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

"Shekhawat's assurance to Joshi brings relief to Karnataka. Earlier, the state was apprehending that reopening settled dispute of allocation of Krishna water among riparian states and making fresh allocation, will be a major blow to Karnataka," said an official in the Karnataka Government.

Singh, in his recent joint meeting with Telangana Chief Minister K C Rao and Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Jagan Reddy for resolving water dispute between the two states, has assured that the Centre is ready to refer the Krishna water allocation issue to the Krishna Water Dispute Tribinal headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar if Telangana withdrew its pending petition in the Supreme Court.

Singh was refering to Telangana Government's pending petition in Supreme Court seeking fresh allocation of Krisha river water among all basin states-Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal, headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar in 2010, had pronounced the award by alloting 911 tmc feet of water to Karnataka, 666 tmc feet to Maharashtra and 1001 tmc feet to erestwhile united Andhra Pradesh. However, the Tribunal gave its final award in 2013 by reducing Karnataka share by 4 tmc feet and alloting it to Andhra Pradesh. Thus, Andhra Pradesh got 1005 tmc feet of water.

However, after forming separate Telangana state, bifurcating united Andhra Pradesh in 2014, Telangana demanded more water and asked for fresh allocation of water among all basin states. Telangana approached the Tribunal, which rejected its plea and in turn asked both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to share among 1005 tmc feet of water allocated to united Andhra Pradesh. Questioning this, Telangana government had approached the Supreme Court and the matter is still pending.

Karnataka, which has been opposing any fresh allocation of water among all river basin states, suggested that both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh should share 1005 tmc feet allocated to erestwhile united Andhra Pradesh.

However, the Jal Shakti Ministry did not notify the Tribunal's final award despite Karnataka pressing for early notification.