Odisha refuses to give consent to Andhra for notification on Vansadhara Water Dispute

Bhubaneswar: The Odisha government has denied the Andhra Pradesh government consent for publication of the final decision of the Vansadhara Water Disputes Tribunal in the official gazette.

As the matter is sub-judice in the Supreme Court, the Odisha government has declined to agree to the request of Andhra Pradesh, Odisha water resources department said in a statement on Tuesday.

The tribunal had pronounced its final order on September 13, 2017, wherein the tribunal had allowed the Andhra Pradesh government to construct Neradi Barrage on river Vansadhara.

However, Odisha had immediately filed SLP (No. 8030/2018) before the apex court on December 12, 2017 against the final order of the tribunal.

The Odisha government has also filed another SLP against the order (dated 23.09.2019) of the tribunal issued for joint survey in the territory of Odisha. This case is also pending before the apex court.

“In view of the two pending SLPs in the SC, the order of the tribunal cannot be published in the official Gazette under section 6(1) of the Inter-State River Water Dispute Act, 1956, which is essential for operationalisation of order of the tribunal,” the department further said.

Moreover, the state government had also filed an application for clarification before the Vansadhara tribunal against its final order. The tribunal pronounced its further report on June 21 this year wherein it has kept its final order (dated 13.09.2017) intact, but subject to the finalisation of SLP in the Supreme Court.

(IANS)