Telangana government awaits minutes of Apex Council meet to respond

Hyderabad: Telangana government is awaiting for the minutes of the Apex Council meeting presided over by Union Minister of Jal Shakti with Andhra Pradesh and Telangana Chief Ministers on October 6 to resolve river water disputes between the two Telugu States.

A decision whether to write an official letter to the Council with regard to the Telangana government's readiness to withdrawal of petition pending in Supreme Court on river water sharing between the two States and other crucial decisions TS stand on the jurisdiction of KRMB and GRMB will be taken by the TS government only after receiving the minutes of the meeting.

Official sources said that Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao " stood by his word " of withdrawal of petition from the Apex Court to enable the Union government to move forward on referring the water sharing issues to the tribunal under Inter State Water Disputes Act, 1956 after taking legal opinion.

The CM will hold a meeting with Irrigation and legal experts after receiving the minutes of the Apex Council which are expected to be forwarded to Telangana shortly. Officials said that the government is expecting to receive the minutes in a week time.

The TS government already entrusted a group of experts the responsibility of studying legal and technical issues with regard to addressing the water disputes between two States outside the Supreme Court. "The protection of the State's interests is utmost priority and the Centre will have to take every decision impartially to resolve water disputes between AP and Telangana," officials said.

The Union Minister's announcement of notifying the jurisdiction of KRMB and GRMB despite KCR 's opposition is likely to be a contentious issue after the release of minutes. The Telangana government has some reservations and serious doubts on the finalisation of jurisdiction of the boards when the river water disputes are subjudice. Notifying the jurisdiction of the boards without addressing the water disputes is of no use and it may trigger new disputes between the two Telugu State governments.

"The Chief Minister took serious note of the Centre's unilateral decision to finalise the jurisdiction of the boards even as he raised objections in the Apex Council meeting. The issue of jurisdiction of the boards should be finalized with the mutual consent of the two Telugu States. The TS government is not ready to extend the support to the jurisdiction of the boards until the water disputes are addressed ".

After receiving the minutes, the TS government will seek clarifications on every contentious issue mentioned by the Union Minister who is also the Council Chairman, and take decision cautiously to ensure the Telangana gets its due share of water from the two perennial rivers, sources said that the TS government is not in a hurry and will not take hasty decisions to resolve the disputes quickly.