Lok Sabha Question No. 2772 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-08-08
Subject: River Water Disputes
Ministry: JAL SHAKTI
Asked by: Shri Y S Avinash Reddy

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF JAL SHAKTI DEPARTMENT OF WATER RESOURCES, RIVER DEVELOPMENT & GANGA REJUVENATION

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2772

ANSWERED ON 08.08.2024

## RIVER WATER DISPUTES

## 2772. SHRI Y S AVINASH REDDY

Will the Minister of JAL SHAKTI be pleased to state:

(a) whether it is a fact that there are long pending water disputes between various States particularly between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana for a long time;

(b) if so, the details thereof;

(c) the main issues involved therein; and

(d) the steps being taken by the Union Government to address the disputes in a time-bound manner?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR JAL SHAKTI

( SHRI RAJ BHUSHAN CHOUDHARY )

(a)  to  (d) For  adjudication  of  disputes  relating  to  waters  of  inter-state  rivers  and  river  valley  thereof,  the Parliament has enacted the Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 (the Act). When any request under the Act is received from any State Government in respect of any water dispute on inter-State rivers and the Central Government is of the opinion that the water dispute cannot be settled by negotiations, the Central Government constitutes a Water Disputes Tribunal for the adjudication of the water dispute. Currently, four Water Disputes Tribunals are active, details of which are given at Annexure.

As per Section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act, 2014, term of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-II) was extended for two years w.e.f. 01.08.2014 with certain terms of reference which were applicable  to  the  two  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh  and  Telangana.  Subsequently,  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the adjudication by KWDT-II was still going on, the tenure of the Tribunal was extended, every time by one more year. Recently, vide Notification dated 31.03.2024, the tenure of the Tribunal has been extended for a further period till 31.07.2025.

Subsequently, a request has been submitted by the Government of Telangana to Central Government under Section 3 of ISRWD Act, 1956 to refer the water disputes regarding the Inter- State River Krishna, and the river valley thereof, by confining the scope of reference between the jurisdictional limits of States of AP and  Telangana  only,  to  the  KWDT-II  for  adjudication  for  en-bloc  allocation  of  water  between  both  these States. Thereafter, a Notification has been issued on 06.10.2023 by Central Government containing a revised Term of Reference (TOR) for adjudication by KWDT-II.

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ANNEXURE REFERRED TO IN REPLY TO PART (a) to (d) OF UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2772  TO  BE  ANSWERED  IN  LOK  SABHA  ON  08.08.2024  REGARDING  'RIVER  WATER DISPUTES'.

## Status of Inter-State Water Disputes Tribunal under ISRWD Act, 1956

|   S.No. | Name of Tribunal                        | States Concerned                                     | Date of Constitution   | Present Status                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              |
|---------|-----------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------|------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Ravi &Beas Water Tribunal               | Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan                        | 2nd April, 1986        | Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act was given in April, 1987. Clarification /explanation were sought from the Tribunal under Section 5(3) of the said Act by the party States. The matter is sub-judice. The Tenure of Tribunal has been extended till 05.08.2025.                                                                                                                                                                                                                          |
|       2 | Mahadayi Water Disputes Tribunal (MWDT) | Goa, Karnataka and Maharashtra                       | 16th November, 2010.   | Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act was given on 14.08.2018. Further references under section 5(3) were filed by the party States and the Central Government before the Tribunal. The matter is sub-judice. Tenure of Tribunal has been extended till 19.08.2024.                                                                                                                                                                                                                           |
|       3 | Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal - II    | Karnataka, Telengana, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra | 2nd April, 2004        | Report and decision under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act was given on 30.12.2010. Further report under section 5(3) was given by the Tribunal on 29.11.2013. However, as per Supreme Court Order dated 16.9.2011, till further order, report /decision of the Tribunal shall not be published in the official Gazette. The matter is sub-judice. The Tribunal is currently hearing matters as per section 89 of Andhra Pradesh Re- organisation Act, 2014. Tenure of Tribunal has been extended till 31.07.2025. |
|       4 | Mahanadi Water Disputes Tribunal        | Odisha and Chhattisgarh                              | 12th March, 2018       | Matter is sub-judice before the Tribunal under section 5(2) of ISRWD Act. Tenure of Tribunal has been extended till 13.04.2026.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |

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