The 2^nd meeting of the Apex Council set up by the Andhra Pradesh Re-Organization Act – 2014 (APRA-2014) with Union Minister for Jal Shakti as Chairman and Chief Ministers of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana as members was held today where Chief Ministers of both states of participated through VC.

The first agenda item that was deliberated upon was to decide on the jurisdiction of both Godavari and Krishna Management Boards. Even after six years their jurisdiction is still not notified because both the states had differing opinions on this issue. The second agenda item that was deliberated upon is the submission of DPR’s of new projects taken up by both the states on rivers Krishna and Godavari respectively. As per the Act, both KRMB and GRMB should technically appraise and clear them. The third agenda item that was deliberated upon was establishing a mechanism for determination of share of Krishna and Godavari waters between the States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

Centre’s stand on these agenda items and other issues discussed in the meeting is that regarding Telangana’s request of referring the water allocations issue to a new tribunal or to KWDT-II (Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal) under Section-3 of Inter State River Water Disputes Act – 1956 (ISRWDA), the matter is pending in Supreme Court and is sub-judice. As mandated by APRA-2014, the headquarters of the KRMB shall be located in the Successor State of Andhra Pradesh.

Centre announced its decision to go ahead with notifying the jurisdiction of both KRMB & GRMB. Telangana CM dissented on this but as per the APRA-2014, no consensus is needed and hence Centre will notify. Both Chief Minister’s agreed to submit the DPR’s of all the projects taken up by their respective states. The Union Minister of Jal Shakti assured that the technical appraisal of all these projects will be done in the shortest possible timeframe.

With regards to sharing of River waters between both the states in both Godavari and Krishna Rivers, CM of Telangana agreed to withdraw the case they filed in Supreme Court to enable Centre to move forward on referring the water sharing issues to the tribunal under Section-3 of ISRWD Act of 1956, after taking due legal opinion. With regards to sharing of River Godavari waters between both the states, both the states were asked to send in the request to Centre so that Centre can move forward to refer to the tribunal under section-3 of ISWRD Act of 1956. Telangana CM said that he would send the request to Centre in a day. It was agreed to shift the KRMB Headquarters to the state of Andhra Pradesh.

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APS/MG/AS