Andhra may contest Krishna river water award in SC

The Andhra Pradesh government will file an appeal either in the Supreme Court or before the Krishna River Water Disputes Tribunal on March 29 against the tribunal's award allocating water from Krishna river to the state. The government will convene an all-party meeting on March 22 to discuss the state's strategy to contest the Justice Brijesh Kumar tibunal's award that it deems is unfavourable to the state's interests.

The government is engaging senior Supreme Court lawyers K Parasaran and Harish Salve to fight the state's case against the award, according to Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy. Reacting to the issue raised by the opposition Telugu Desam Party in the state assembly on Tuesday, the chief minister said the government would take all steps to protect the state's interests over its rightful share of Krishna water.

"Our government representatives are discussing the case and the legal aspects with Parasaran and Salve in New Delhi. We shall file the appeal based on their feedback," he said. Leader of opposition N Chandrababu Naidu alleged that the Congress government is responsible for failing to argue the state's case before the tribunal.

He had said that justice would not be done to the state unless the government brought pressure on both the central government and the tribunal, to give the state its rightful share of Krishna water. "This is a very serious issue,but the Congress seems unperturbed. It won't blink even if it even if it mortgages the state," Naidu had alleged.

Major irrigation minister P Sudarshan Reddy said the chief minister would hold an all-party meeting on March 22 to discuss the issue in detail and the steps to be taken while filing an appeal.

Earlier, the assembly was adjourned for 30 minutes as TDP members of the legislative assembly stormed the speaker's podium demanding an immediate discussion through an adjournment motion on the tribunal award. At the same time, Congress MLAs from Telangana, who ended their boycott and returned to the house on Tuesday, rose to their feet and raised slogans in favour of a separate state.

The TDP members raised slogans as officiating speaker Nadendla Manohar disallowed the adjournment motion. Manohar later held a meeting with floor leaders of all parties to resolve the issue and let the house run in order. The house resumed business after two hours.