CM Jagan flags KWDT-II terms of reference on Krishna water row

VIJAYAWADA: AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has objected to the approval given by the Union Cabinet under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to terms of reference for the Krishna Waters Dispute Tribunal -II. In a memorandum to the Prime Minister, he pointed out that as per a working arrangement related to Krishna waters by the Krishna River Management Board, AP got 512 TMC and Telangana 299 TMC out of 811 TMC allocated to the erstwhile state of Andhra Pradesh. The AP CM said: “While this is the situation, people of Andhra Pradesh are shocked to know about the Union Cabinet’s unilateral approval on October 4 of ToR for KWDT-II under Section 5 of ISRWD Act, 1956 on the request of the Telangana as per its complaint dated July 14, 2014.” He appealed to PM Modi to intervene immediately into the matter and direct the authorities concerned not to proceed further on the terms of reference given to KWDT-II. Jagan Mohan Reddy said: “I am of the firm view that a unilateral reference to an Inter-State River Water Dispute Tribunal only for two states and the absolute exclusion of other two basin states is not only unscientific but is also against the overall judicious use of water resources as a national asset.” The AP CM also called upon Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday, pointed out that five special leave petitions are already pending in the Supreme Court challenging the decision of KWDT-II.