From Our Correspondent
Amaravati: The Union Ministry of Jal Shakti has constituted a high-level committee to examine and resolve long-pending river water disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The committee has been formed with the approval of the Ministry’s Secretary and will be chaired by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC).
An official order to this effect was issued on Friday. The committee comprises 13 members in total and has been tasked with studying inter-State water management issues through a comprehensive technical approach and recommending practical, implementable solutions to ensure equitable and efficient water sharing.
The decision follows the meeting held in New Delhi on July 16 last year under the chairmanship of the Union Jal Shakti Minister, attended by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. The meeting was convened against the backdrop of several unresolved water-related disputes between the two Telugu States.
Based on submissions made by both States, the Ministry finalised ten key issues as part of its agenda, which were discussed during the July meeting. Subsequently, the Jal Shakti Ministry sought nominations from both States for the proposed committee.
The process, however, saw delays, with both States holding back nominations, reportedly to avoid moving first. The issue gained traction last month when Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s proposed visit to Delhi to meet the Union Jal Shakti Minister prompted renewed engagement. Andhra Pradesh submitted four names to the Ministry, after which the Centre sought nominations from Telangana as well. Telangana proposed seven names.
Eventually, the committee was structured to include four representatives each from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and the Centre.
Experts Question Committee’s Utility
Meanwhile, irrigation experts in Andhra Pradesh have expressed scepticism over the effectiveness of the newly constituted committee, arguing that such panels have historically delivered little by way of concrete outcomes. They view the move as largely a political eyewash rather than a substantive step towards dispute resolution.
Experts point out that adjudication on Krishna river water sharing is already underway before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, and that a similar legal mechanism is required for the Godavari river as well. They note that during the second meeting of the Apex Council, both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had agreed in principle to the constitution of a separate tribunal for resolving Godavari water disputes.
Despite this, the two Chief Ministers are said to have stopped short of jointly pressing the Centre to formally constitute such a tribunal, instead agreeing to the formation of another committee. According to irrigation experts, without a statutory tribunal with binding powers, the core disputes between the two States are unlikely to see a durable resolution.
Committee Composition
Chairman:
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Chairman, Central Water Commission
Andhra Pradesh Representatives:
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Special Chief Secretary, Water Resources Department
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Advisor, Water Resources
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Engineer-in-Chief
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Chief Engineer, Inter-State Water Resources Wing
Telangana Representatives:
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Advisor, Irrigation Department
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Chief Secretary
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Special Secretary
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Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation and Command Area Development)
Central Representatives:
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Chairman, Krishna River Management Board
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Chairman, Godavari River Management Board
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Chief Engineer, National Water Development Agency
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Chief Engineer (Projects & Management), Central Water Commission
The committee has been asked to submit recommendations aligned with efficient water allocation and inter-State coordination. However, sceptics argue that unless the Centre moves decisively towards tribunal-based adjudication, committees of this nature may only prolong the stalemate rather than resolve it.