Government for only Andhra-Telangana adjudication in Krishna water sharing

The government on Tuesday told the Supreme Court that the question of sharing the Krishna river water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana could be referred to the river water dispute tribunal without involving Karnataka and Maharashtra - who also get a share.

Not favouring fresh determination of the sharing of the river's water between Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana as sought by the newly-formed state, Additional Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told a bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice Prafulla C. Pant that there was no need for the fresh adjudication of the entire water sharing issue between four states.

The government's stand assumes significance as Telangana is insisting to be treated a distinct entity after being carved out of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 and is pressing for the reopening of the entire Krishna water sharing arrangement.

As the government favoured a limited adjudication of the issue, the court asked it to file an affidavit in support of its position.

Telangana is seeking direction to the central government to set-up a tribunal for the fresh determination of the share of Krishna river water that should go to the each of the four states.

Directing the next hearing of the matter on December 12, the bench said that all the issues under Inter-state River Water Dispute Act, 1956 were open for consideration.