Constitution Of Krishna Water Dispute: Date And History

what is the date of constitution of krishna water dispute

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was constituted on 2 April 2004 by the Central Government of India to resolve the dispute between the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh over the sharing of Krishna River's water. The river flows through these states, and disputes arise due to differing needs, historical disagreements, and changes in the political landscape. The KWDT-II, headed by retired Judge of the Supreme Court, Brijesh Kumar, provided for a review of its award after 2050, with Andhra Pradesh receiving 1001 TMC of water, Karnataka 907 TMC, and Maharashtra 666 TMC. However, Andhra Pradesh dissented and filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, which is still pending.

Characteristics Values
Date of constitution of the first Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal 10 April 1969
Date of constitution of the second Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal 2 April 2004
States involved in the dispute Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana
River Krishna River
Basin Krishna River Basin
Authority Krishna River Valley Authority
Act Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956
Article Article 262 of the Indian Constitution
Tribunal head Sri RS Bachawat (first tribunal), Brijesh Kumar (second tribunal)

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The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was constituted on 2 April 2004

The Krishna River is the second-largest river in peninsular India, and disputes arise due to differing needs, historical disagreements, and changes in the political and administrative landscape. The river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana, with each state wanting to use the river waters to the maximum extent, irrespective of mutual agreements. This has led to interstate disputes, with the central government playing a role in resolving these disputes relating to water rights between the states.

The KWDT-II award was based on 65% dependability, with Andhra Pradesh receiving 1001 TMC, Karnataka receiving 907 TMC, and Maharashtra receiving 666 TMC. This award was to be reviewed after the year 2050. However, Andhra Pradesh dissented and filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, which was re-checked for violations of the 1956 Act of Inter-state River Water Disputes.

The Krishna Basin Authority has been suggested to be headed by a panel of experts representing the environment, irrigation, agriculture, groundwater, geology, health, and ecology to protect the river basin area for its long-term sustainable productivity and ecology.

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The dispute is between the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh

The Krishna River is the second biggest river in peninsular India, originating near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra. It runs for 303 km in Maharashtra, 480 km through North Karnataka, and the rest of its 1300 km journey in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna River basin states have differing needs, historical disagreements, and changes in the political and administrative landscape, which has led to disputes.

The dispute is between the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was set up in 1973 to address the allocation of Krishna River waters among the riparian states. The second KWDT was constituted in April 2004 to reallocate Krishna water and address the water-sharing disputes between the states. The second KWDT delivered its report in 2010, allocating 81 TMC of water to Maharashtra, 177 TMC to Karnataka, and 190 TMC to Andhra Pradesh. However, this award was not accepted by all the states, with Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh dissenting.

Following the creation of Telangana in 2014, Andhra Pradesh demanded a review of Krishna water allocations among the four states. Maharashtra and Karnataka argued that Telangana was created from the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, so the allocation of water should come from Andhra Pradesh's share. The KWDT will provide new terms of reference under which the tribunal will divide the water of the Krishna River between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

The Srisailam reservoir, situated on the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, is a major point of contention. Andhra Pradesh contested Telangana's use of Srisailam reservoir water for power generation. The Andhra Pradesh government proposed to increase the utilisation of the Krishna water from a section of the river above the Srisailam Reservoir, leading to a complaint filed by the Telangana government. The Krishna Basin Authority, headed by a panel of experts, has been proposed to protect the river basin area for its long-term sustainable productivity and ecology.

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The KWDT-II award allocated 1001 TMC to Andhra Pradesh, 907 TMC to Karnataka and 666 TMC to Maharashtra

The Krishna River is the second biggest river in peninsular India, originating near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and flowing through Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh. The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was constituted by the Government of India on 10 April 1969 to resolve water utilization disputes among the river basin states of the Krishna and Godavari rivers. The final verdict of the KWDT was submitted in May 1976.

Following requests by all three states, the second KWDT, or KWDT-II, was constituted in April 2004 to reallocate Krishna water and address the allocation of Krishna River waters among the riparian states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The KWDT-II award, announced in 2010, allocated 1001 TMC to Andhra Pradesh, 907 TMC to Karnataka, and 666 TMC to Maharashtra, with certain restrictions imposed on each state regarding water usage for specific projects. The award was based on a 65% dependability assessment of the river's yearly yield, which was determined to be 2578 TMC.

The KWDT-II award also directed the three states to contribute to Chennai city's drinking water supply, with each state providing 3.30 TMC during the months of July to October and 1.70 TMC during January to April. Additionally, the tribunal permitted Karnataka to raise the storage level in the Almatti dam, a decision that was contested by Andhra Pradesh as depriving its lower Krishna delta region of water supply.

The KWDT-II award was met with dissent from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, despite Karnataka's satisfaction with it. Andhra Pradesh filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, which directed the Government of India to re-examine the award for any violations of the Interstate River Water Disputes Act 1956. The KWDT-II award will be valid until 2050 and can be reviewed or revised by a competent authority or tribunal.

The dispute over the Krishna River waters has been ongoing, with the creation of Telangana in 2014 further complicating the issue. The central government has played a crucial role in attempting to resolve the dispute, with the KWDT-II providing new terms of reference for the division of water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The latest terms of reference, dated 6 October 2023, state that the unallocated water of KWDT-I is to be distributed between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh only.

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The KWDT was first constituted in 1969, and its final verdict was submitted in 1976

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was first constituted in 1969 to resolve disputes between the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and then undivided Andhra Pradesh over the sharing of Krishna River water. The KWDT was formed under the provisions of the Interstate River Water Disputes Act of 1956, with Sri RS Bachawat as its chairman. The Krishna River basin states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and old Andhra Pradesh pushed for a quicker verdict to facilitate the construction of irrigation projects in the Krishna basin.

The KWDT's proceedings were taken up separately, and its final verdict was submitted to the Government of India on 27 May 1976. The verdict allocated the water of the Krishna River, which is the second biggest river in peninsular India, among the disputing states. The river originates near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra and flows through North Karnataka, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh.

Following the creation of Telangana in 2014, the allocation of Krishna River water became a point of contention between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Andhra Pradesh demanded a review of the water allocations among the four states, while Maharashtra and Karnataka argued that Telangana's allocation should come from Andhra Pradesh's share as it was formed from the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

To address these ongoing disputes, a second KWDT was constituted in April 2004, headed by retired Judge of the Supreme Court, Brijesh Kumar. The KWDT-II award allocated 1001 TMC of water to Andhra Pradesh, 907 TMC to Karnataka, and 666 TMC to Maharashtra. This award was to be reviewed after 2050. However, Andhra Pradesh dissented and filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court, which led to a re-examination of the award for any violations of the 1956 Inter-State River Water Disputes Act.

The Krishna River water dispute is complex, with differing needs, historical disagreements, and political and administrative landscape changes contributing to the ongoing tensions between the states.

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The dispute centres on the sharing of water from the Krishna River, which flows through both states

The Krishna River is the second-largest east-flowing river in the Indian peninsula. It rises in the state of Maharashtra and flows through Karnataka and Telangana before meeting the Bay of Bengal in Andhra Pradesh. The river is a vital source of water for irrigation, industrial use, and power generation in the region.

The dispute over the sharing of Krishna River water centres on the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, which have differing needs, historical disagreements, and political and administrative landscapes. Telangana, a predominantly agricultural state, relies on the river for irrigation, while Andhra Pradesh, a more industrialised state, needs water for industrial use. The Srisailam reservoir, situated on the Krishna River in Andhra Pradesh, is a major point of contention, with Telangana using the reservoir's water for power generation.

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) was constituted in 1969 to resolve disputes between the states of Karnataka, Maharashtra, and the then-undivided Andhra Pradesh over the sharing of Krishna River water. The tribunal allocated 811 tmcft of water to Andhra Pradesh and recommended that the water be shared in a specific ratio between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. However, the Andhra Pradesh government did not implement these recommendations and continued to divert water from the Krishna River to areas outside the river basin.

A second KWDT was set up in 2004 to reallocate Krishna River water among the states of Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. The tribunal delivered its report in 2010, allocating 81 TMC to Maharashtra, 177 TMC to Karnataka, and 190 TMC to Andhra Pradesh. The award was based on 65% dependability, and the states were given liberty to use any surplus waters. However, this award was also met with dissent from Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh, leading to further legal challenges.

The latest development in the dispute occurred in October 2023, when the Union Government issued fresh terms of reference to KWDT2, superseding its earlier verdict. According to these terms, the unallocated water of KWDT1 is to be distributed between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with water being allocated on a project-wise basis for proposed projects in both states.

Frequently asked questions

10 April 1969.

Sri RS Bachawat.

2 April 2004.

Retired Judge of the Supreme Court, Brijesh Kumar.

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