Centre notifies Krishna and Godavari river management boards, new tribunals in pipeline to address states’ concerns | India News
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NEW DELHI: Seven years after their constitution under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, the Centre on Friday issued gazette notifications, specifying jurisdiction of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), for administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of projects in Godavari and Krishna rivers basins respectively, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Issued in the backdrop of promises, made in October last year, to resolve existing concerns of states, the notification will come into effect from October 14. It empowers both the Boards to regulate the supply of water and power from respective river basins in both the states.
“The notification of jurisdiction of Boards by the ministry of ‘Jal Shakti’ (water resources) reinforces the commitment of the central government for amicable settlement of all contentious issues on water and power between the two states,” said Sanjay Awasthi, joint secretary in the ministry, while briefing on the notification.
Though the notification assumes significance in view of differences between the two states over different projects and hydro-power generation, the outcome will depend on how the Telangana government reacts to it as it has been opposing the move in absence of clarity on states’ share of water in both the rivers. The Andhra Pradesh government had, on the other hand, been demanding the notification for long.
“As promised during the apex council meeting in October last year, the Centre is inclined to set up a fresh Tribunal on water sharing of the Godavari River as and when both the states send their formal request. Similarly, a process has been initiated on Krishna River water sharing either by extending the mandate of existing one or by setting up a new one,” said an official while referring to Telangana’s concerns.
Acting on the Telangana government’s promise to the Centre in June about its decision to withdraw its pending plea from the Supreme Court, the ‘Jal Shakti’ ministry has, already, approached the law ministry seeking its opinion on the possibility of either having a new or having existing Tribunal with expanded mandate on the Krishna River water sharing.
The notification in its schedule enlists all head works (barrages, dams, reservoirs, regulating structures), part of canal network and transmission lines of the projects/components over which the respective Boards will ordinarily have jurisdiction in taking decisions over regulation, maintenance and operation. It brings 35 projects in the Krishna basin and 71 in the Godavari basin under the boards’ purview.
The respective Boards will take care of water sharing as per awards made by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal and the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. The Board will have power to direct the respective state governments for maintenance of the projects or components specified in its schedule to carry out such works promptly. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will assist the Boards in the day-to-day management of projects specified in the schedule and any other work related to security.
No person from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be appointed as the Chairman, Member-Secretary, Members and Chief Engineers of either the KRMB or the GRMB.
Within a period of sixty days from the date of publication of this notification, the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will have to provide one-time seed money of Rs 200 crore each and be deposited in the Boards’ account to enable them to discharge their functions effectively.
As per the notification, both the state governments will stop all the ongoing works on unapproved projects as on the date of publication of this notification until the said projects are appraised and approved as per the provisions of the concerned Act and in accordance with the decisions taken in the second meeting of the Apex Council, held in October last year.
“If approvals are not obtained within six months after the publication of this notification, full or partial operation if any of the said ongoing unapproved projects shall cease to operate,” said the notification.
Issued in the backdrop of promises, made in October last year, to resolve existing concerns of states, the notification will come into effect from October 14. It empowers both the Boards to regulate the supply of water and power from respective river basins in both the states.
“The notification of jurisdiction of Boards by the ministry of ‘Jal Shakti’ (water resources) reinforces the commitment of the central government for amicable settlement of all contentious issues on water and power between the two states,” said Sanjay Awasthi, joint secretary in the ministry, while briefing on the notification.
Though the notification assumes significance in view of differences between the two states over different projects and hydro-power generation, the outcome will depend on how the Telangana government reacts to it as it has been opposing the move in absence of clarity on states’ share of water in both the rivers. The Andhra Pradesh government had, on the other hand, been demanding the notification for long.
“As promised during the apex council meeting in October last year, the Centre is inclined to set up a fresh Tribunal on water sharing of the Godavari River as and when both the states send their formal request. Similarly, a process has been initiated on Krishna River water sharing either by extending the mandate of existing one or by setting up a new one,” said an official while referring to Telangana’s concerns.
Acting on the Telangana government’s promise to the Centre in June about its decision to withdraw its pending plea from the Supreme Court, the ‘Jal Shakti’ ministry has, already, approached the law ministry seeking its opinion on the possibility of either having a new or having existing Tribunal with expanded mandate on the Krishna River water sharing.
The notification in its schedule enlists all head works (barrages, dams, reservoirs, regulating structures), part of canal network and transmission lines of the projects/components over which the respective Boards will ordinarily have jurisdiction in taking decisions over regulation, maintenance and operation. It brings 35 projects in the Krishna basin and 71 in the Godavari basin under the boards’ purview.
The respective Boards will take care of water sharing as per awards made by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal and the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal. The Board will have power to direct the respective state governments for maintenance of the projects or components specified in its schedule to carry out such works promptly. The Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) will assist the Boards in the day-to-day management of projects specified in the schedule and any other work related to security.
No person from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will be appointed as the Chairman, Member-Secretary, Members and Chief Engineers of either the KRMB or the GRMB.
Within a period of sixty days from the date of publication of this notification, the state governments of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana will have to provide one-time seed money of Rs 200 crore each and be deposited in the Boards’ account to enable them to discharge their functions effectively.
As per the notification, both the state governments will stop all the ongoing works on unapproved projects as on the date of publication of this notification until the said projects are appraised and approved as per the provisions of the concerned Act and in accordance with the decisions taken in the second meeting of the Apex Council, held in October last year.
“If approvals are not obtained within six months after the publication of this notification, full or partial operation if any of the said ongoing unapproved projects shall cease to operate,” said the notification.
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