In recent events, amidst soaring tensions, police forces have been mobilized to various hydel power projects located in the bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The Andhra Pradesh government voiced its discontent to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) concerning Telangana’s extraction of water from the Srisailam project for power generation purposes. The KRMB had previously instructed Telangana to halt its power generation activities, a directive that Telangana has failed to abide by. This unwillingness to follow the KRMB’s orders has stirred further tension between the two states.
Description of the Dispute
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana share stretches of the Krishna and Godavari rivers along with their tributaries. Both states have proposed several new projects without getting approval from the river boards, the Central Water Commission, and the Apex Council, as delineated by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. This Act mandates the establishment of an Apex Council by the central government to oversee the operations of the Godavari River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board.
The Apex Council comprises the Union Water Resources Minister and the Chief Ministers of both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The dispute escalated when the Andhra Pradesh government proposed to increase the utilization of Krishna water from a section above the Srisailam Reservoir. In response, Telangana filed a complaint against Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh government countered with complaints concerning several new projects on both rivers, including the Palamuru-Rangareddy, Dindi Lift Irrigation Schemes, and the Kaleshwaram, Tupakulagudem schemes.
Inter-State River Water Disputes
Article 262 of the Constitution details the resolution of inter-state water disputes. According to this, Parliament can legislate for the resolution of any dispute relating to the use, distribution, and control of waters of any inter-state river and river valley. It also provides that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in relation to any such dispute.
There exist two laws enacted by Parliament, namely the River Boards Act (1956) and the Inter-State Water Disputes Act (1956). The former allows for the establishment of river boards by the Central government for the regulation and development of inter-state rivers and river valleys, while the latter empowers the central government to establish an ad hoc tribunal for the resolution of a dispute between states concerning the waters of an inter-state river or river valley.
About the Godavari River
The Godavari River originates from Trimbakeshwar near Nasik in Maharashtra and runs approximately 1465 km before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. Its basin extends over several states, including Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha, besides smaller areas in Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and the Union territory of Puducherry. It has numerous tributaries, such as Pravara, Purna, Manjra, Penganga, Wardha, Wainganga, Pranhita (combined flow of Wainganga, Penganga, Wardha), Indravati, Maner and the Sabri.
About the Krishna River
Originating near Mahabaleshwar in Maharashtra, the Krishna River is the second largest river in peninsular India after the Godavari River. It passes through four states – Maharashtra (303 km), North Karnataka (480 km), Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, covering a total distance of 1300 km before reaching the Bay of Bengal. The river has multiple tributaries, including Tungabhadra, Mallaprabha, Koyna, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Yerla, Warna, Dindi, Musi and Dudhganga.