Water row -- SC tells states not to go to media

Water row -- SC tells states not to go to media
PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

NEW DELHI, JAN 19: At the beginning of arguments on disputes over sharing of Krishna river water and height of Alamatti dam, the Supreme Court on Wednesday restrained Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Mahrashtra and Centre from airing their grievances in media on the issues.

A constitution bench comprising Justicess S B Majmudar, G B Pattanaik, V N Khare, U C Banerjee and R P Sethi said the parties should not air their grievances in media during the pendency of the original suits filed by Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh before the court.

Both the states had filed the suits airing their grievances over the manner of implementation of the shares of river water allotted by Bachawat Tribunal nearly 25 years ago.

The tribunal had taken into account a minimum flow of 2060 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) water in Krishna river and allotted 560 TMC to Maharashtra, 700 to Karnataka and 800 to Andhra Pradesh. However, there was dispute over sharing of excess water and also the Almatti dam, whose height Karnataka wantedto raise from the present 509 metres to 524 in order to utilise its share of 700 TMC water. Union Government had constituted Krishna River Water Tribunal in 1969 led by Justice R S Bachawat to decide the disputes between the three states.

Under Scheme A, the tribunal shared the minimum available 2060 TMC water and made it a self-executing one.

Under Scheme B, the excess water was allocated to the states but its implementation was left to the good sense of the parties or to the wisdom of Parliament. This is yet to be implemented as Andhra Government has not given its consent.

Appearing for Karnataka, senior advocate F S Nariman said as the excess water has not yet been shared, Andhra Pradesh was utilising the total excess water available in the Krishna river.

Andhra Pradesh has been committing utilisation of surplus water by planning various new irrigation projects, he said.

Andhra Pradesh in its suit has sought injunction against Karnataka on the Almatti dam saying if the height was increased to524.25 M, the state would utilise 442 tmc of water as against 155 tmc permitted by the tribunal.

The Supreme Court had allowed Karnataka to erect the crest gates without skin plates over the Almatti dam.