Prominent leaders of the Rayalaseema region today sought constitution of a new river water tribunal with a mandate to consider the water needs of famine areas suffering with recurring droughts in all states.
A delegation comprising state minister C Ramachandraiah, former minister KE Krishnamurthy along with the organisers of Rayalaseema Joint Action Committee met President Pranab Mukherjee and submitted a representation against the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, which had recently issued orders partly modifying the water allocations made by the earlier tribunal of the Krishna water disputes.
“By adopting new methods for calculating water availability and also distributing the same among the states, the tribunal did sheer injustice both to the Andhra Pradesh state and also to the drought-affected Rayalaseema region,” they said in a five-page letter while demanding the abolition of the Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
Citing various historic accords that were entered to protect the interests of the drought-prone districts of Rayalaseema region, the delegation said the region required about 300 tmcft of water for irrigation and drinking water needs.
They requested the President to direct the water resources ministry to reallocate assured water to Rayalaseema projects besides providing drinking water to the people, according to a press release.
