Telangana Bill gives key role to Centre in water management

The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Bill, 2013, currently under the consideration of the state legislature, envisages a vital role for the Centre in the management o fwater resources between the successor states of Telangana and (new) Andhra Pradesh.

Sharing and management of water resources between the two states, post-bifurcation, is likely to be a tricky issue given the complex nature of irrigation projects and water allocation in undivided Andhra Pradesh. 

The President has given time till January 23 to the AP legislature to return the draft bill after due deliberations. The draft bill says the Centre would constitute an Apex Council for the supervision of the functioning of two management boards of Godavari and Krishna rivers. The council shall comprise the Union Water Resources Minister as its Chairperson and the Chief Ministers of the two states as members. The functions of the council shall include planning and approval of proposals for construction of new projects, if any, based on Godavari or Krishna river water and also resolution of any dispute amicably arising out of the sharing of river waters. 

The functions shall also include reference of any disputes not covered under Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, to a Tribunal to be constituted under the Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956. 

The Centre shall constitute two separate boards to be called the Godavari River Management Board and Krishna River Management Board for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of such projects, as may be notified by the Central Government from time to time. As stated in the bill, the headquarters of the Godavari River Management Board shall be located in Telangana state and Krishna River Management Board shall be located in Andhra Pradesh. 

The two boards shall be autonomous bodies under the administrative control of the Central Government, and shall comply with such directions as may, from time to time, be given to them by the Central Government. 

MLAs from coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema regions today disrupted the proceedings of the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly soon after the session began, opposing the draft Bill that provides for creation of a new state of Telangana. TDP and YSR Congress members stayed in the Well of the House, raising slogans against the AP Reorganisation Bill-2013 and demanding that the House should first pass a resolution opposing the proposed bifurcation of the state. Speaker Nadendla Manohar rejected the adjournment motions moved by TDP, YSRC and CPI on the bifurcation issue and at once adjourned the proceedings for an hour. 

The draft Bill was tabled in the House on Monday and the Assembly Business Advisory Committee decided to take up debate from today. The Speaker was supposed to announce the schedule for the debate in the House this morning, but that did not happen because of the din.