Uttam Reddy asks legal team to present strong case before KWDT-II for equitable share in Krishna waters

Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy supports legal team in presenting Telangana's case for equitable Krishna water share.

HYDERABAD

Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday stated that the State government would provide all support to the legal team in presenting the State’s case for equitable share in the Krishna waters before the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT-II) and other fora.

Mr. Reddy held an extensive meeting with the legal team representing the State before KWDT-II and other fora such as the Supreme Court to press for an equitable share in the Krishna waters and present a strong case in the matter of dispute over water sharing. He stated that he would personally attend the proceedings of KWDT-II whenever required or when the matters related to Krishna and Godavari rivers come up for hearing.

The meeting held at the Irrigation department head office, Jala Soudha, was attended by senior advocates, irrigation officials and legal consultants, including the Advisor to the Telangana government on Irrigation, Aditya Nath Das. senior counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, who is leading Telangana’s legal team, and other lawyers.

They briefed the Minister on the arguments to be presented before the Tribunal during the upcoming hearing scheduled from April 15 to 17. The discussions covered Telangana’s core claims, current legal status and preparations for the next hearing.

Further, the Minister was explained about Telangana’s stance on Krishna water allocation and the data being used to substantiate the State’s claim. The legal team outlined how Telangana had historically been deprived of its fair share of Krishna waters and how the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh in 2014 further complicated the matter of water distribution. The State’s arguments would emphasise the need for equitable and just allocation, considering the basin area, population and the irrigation potential.

The Minister stated that Telangana’s case was not just about statistics but also about justice and the right to develop irrigation infrastructure without facing arbitrary constraints. He pointed out that Telangana’s farmers and irrigation-dependent regions had suffered for decades due to skewed water allocations and the commitment of the Congress government to correct these imbalances. He enquired about the status of related cases and appeals pending in various legal forums and instructed the department to keep him regularly updated.