Centre should resolve extremely technical Polavaram dispute quickly: SC

Express News Service

NEW DELHI: Terming the water dispute associated to Polavaram venture ‘highly technical’, the Supreme Court on Wednesday mentioned a big a part of gaps must be stuffed by the States of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. “The Central Water Commission (CWC) will propose the way forward. They cannot force you (States) all. Sometimes it works in the court. This is highly technical so the large part of the gaps will have to be bridged by the States,” Justice Kaul remarked.

The bench additionally comprising, Justices AS Oka and Vikram Nath, additionally directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti to submit its report inside two months and conduct conferences with the CMs of the States. The bench in its order mentioned,

“It’s stated by three States Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana that after initial meetings in September, 2022, their comments have been given to the CWC. ASG submitted that they have received a report from the CWC, which shows some areas of divergence. It appears that no meeting of CMs has been held. On examination of view point, they will submit a report within two months from today and also conduct meetings with CMs. List on for directions on February 15.”

The Polavaram venture on Godavari in Andhra Pradesh is a multipurpose venture, which has been accorded the standing of a nationwide venture. The Centre had accepted the decision of Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal in 1980 and made it binding on the involved river basin States. According to the tribunal’s verdict, the agreements arrived among the many riparian States on the sub-basin degree have been vetted by the States of the whole Godavari basin and no State may again out of the overall tribunal award.

Apprising the bench of the three conferences that have been carried out by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the CWC with the stakeholders, the ministry’s counsel instructed it that it required three extra months to resolve the difficulty. “Three meetings have taken place. The meeting of the CMs is also scheduled. We require three months to resolve issues. There are some technical issues along with some legal issues. We are in the mid way. We have to file status report. As oftoday, we are in the midway,” the counsel mentioned.

ASG Aishwarya Bhati additionally for the ministry, instructed the bench that it had obtained the report from the CWC, which highlighted some areas of convergence in addition to divergence. Refuting the submissions close to the Ministry and the CWC scheduling the assembly of CMs, counsel for Odisha mentioned, “After October nothing has been held. In the meantime, the construction is continuing. It’s interstate dispute and it’s been languishing the way it is. Order has been kept in abeyance … entire contours for us have be changed.”
“There has been huge damage due to monsoon, Today protection measures have to be considered for AP,” senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan mentioned.

Earlier, the SC had requested the Centre to name a gathering of stakeholder States involved with the Polavaram venture. “Pioneering role needs to be played by the Jal Shakti Ministry and the Ministry of Environment. Meeting must be held at appropriate high level. Chief Ministers can meet to iron out the issues. Meetings must be held in one month and reports should be filed before the Supreme Court,” the court docket had earlier mentioned in its order.

NEW DELHI: Terming the water dispute associated to Polavaram venture ‘highly technical’, the Supreme Court on Wednesday mentioned a big a part of gaps must be stuffed by the States of Odisha, Andhra Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. “The Central Water Commission (CWC) will propose the way forward. They cannot force you (States) all. Sometimes it works in the court. This is highly technical so the large part of the gaps will have to be bridged by the States,” Justice Kaul remarked.

The bench additionally comprising, Justices AS Oka and Vikram Nath, additionally directed the Ministry of Jal Shakti to submit its report inside two months and conduct conferences with the CMs of the States. The bench in its order mentioned,

“It’s stated by three States Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Telangana that after initial meetings in September, 2022, their comments have been given to the CWC. ASG submitted that they have received a report from the CWC, which shows some areas of divergence. It appears that no meeting of CMs has been held. On examination of view point, they will submit a report within two months from today and also conduct meetings with CMs. List on for directions on February 15.”

The Polavaram venture on Godavari in Andhra Pradesh is a multipurpose venture, which has been accorded the standing of a nationwide venture. The Centre had accepted the decision of Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal in 1980 and made it binding on the involved river basin States. According to the tribunal’s verdict, the agreements arrived among the many riparian States on the sub-basin degree have been vetted by the States of the whole Godavari basin and no State may again out of the overall tribunal award.

Apprising the bench of the three conferences that have been carried out by the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the CWC with the stakeholders, the ministry’s counsel instructed it that it required three extra months to resolve the difficulty. “Three meetings have taken place. The meeting of the CMs is also scheduled. We require three months to resolve issues. There are some technical issues along with some legal issues. We are in the mid way. We have to file status report. As oftoday, we are in the midway,” the counsel mentioned.

ASG Aishwarya Bhati additionally for the ministry, instructed the bench that it had obtained the report from the CWC, which highlighted some areas of convergence in addition to divergence. Refuting the submissions close to the Ministry and the CWC scheduling the assembly of CMs, counsel for Odisha mentioned, “After October nothing has been held. In the meantime, the construction is continuing. It’s interstate dispute and it’s been languishing the way it is. Order has been kept in abeyance … entire contours for us have be changed.”
“There has been huge damage due to monsoon, Today protection measures have to be considered for AP,” senior advocate CS Vaidyanathan mentioned.

Earlier, the SC had requested the Centre to name a gathering of stakeholder States involved with the Polavaram venture. “Pioneering role needs to be played by the Jal Shakti Ministry and the Ministry of Environment. Meeting must be held at appropriate high level. Chief Ministers can meet to iron out the issues. Meetings must be held in one month and reports should be filed before the Supreme Court,” the court docket had earlier mentioned in its order.