Bansadhara Water Dispute: Tribunal Directs Joint Survey By Odisha, AP

New Delhi: The Bansadhara River Water Disputes Tribunal on Friday directed both the Odisha and Andhra Pradesh governments to carry out a joint survey by technical committees in the Neredi project area under the supervision of Central Water Commission.

The technical teams will conduct a survey of around 106 acres along the river bed and hold deliberations with officials of the Central Water Commission (CWC).

“As 106 acres is going to submerge in Odisha, the tribunal asked both the states to cooperate. The technical persons who will conduct the survey should not be below the rank of Superintendent,” said Lawyer Radhashyam Jena.

Placing its arguments before the Tribunal last month, Odisha had demanded a joint survey of the two projects at Neredi and Katraguda.

The state government had alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government built the two projects without obtaining the CWC’s permission.

Odisha government had filed for a review of the Bansadhara Tribunal’s verdict on September 13, 2017, which had gone in favour of Andhra Pradesh.

Hearing the petition on December 5, 2018, Tribunal Chairman, Justice Mukumdakam Sharma and two other Tribunal members decided to go on a field visit to the affected areas in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

On January 22, the Tribunal asked the Andhra Pradesh and Odisha governments to set up a joint technical committee to resolve the issue.