Call on Krishna Tribunal only after TS drops case: MoS

HYDERABAD: Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti Rattan Lal Kataria said on Thursday that the Centre would decide on whether to constitute a new Tribunal to resolve the Krishna water disputes or to give new Terms of Reference (ToR) to the existing Tribunal only after Telangana withdraws its case pending in the Supreme Court. 

Replying to a query during the question hour in Lok Sabha on Thursday, the Union Minister said that for the Centre to consider Telangana’s request seeking a Tribunal under Section-3 of Inter-State River Water Dispute (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the State has to first withdraw the case it has filed in the Supreme Court. 

After receiving the aforementioned assurance, the Ministry of Jal Shakti will seek legal opinion on whether a new Tribunal has to be constituted or new ToR can be issued to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) to hear the matter. 

Meanwhile, in reply to a query raised by TRS MP Gaddam Ranjith Reddy, Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said his Ministry had, in the last three years, constructed eight hostels, 47 residential schools and four school buildings in Telangana. Of the total Rs 976.20 crore spent on these projects, the Centre bore about Rs 585.72 crore, Naqvi added.