Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal
The memorandum of agreement (page 105 of draft GWDT report) was prepared and later ratified by the participant states.
[7] This gesture expressing voluntary cooperation on the part of the disputing states made things easier for the Tribunal.
GoI accepted the GWDT verdict and made it binding on the river basin states in the year 1980.
The water used under the existing / completed major, medium & minor irrigation projects up to 6/10/1975 is protected in all the states.
The water use sanctioned / cleared up to 6/10/1975 for the major, medium & minor irrigation projects is also protected in all the states.
(Page 90 of original GWDT) One tmc water lifting from the Manjira river is allowed by Karnataka.
[11] This river catchment area is further subdivided into the following areas (not complete list): Chhattisgarh state can use all the water of Sabri (Kolab) tributary up to the point where Sabari river forms common boundary between Orissa and Chhattisgarh states.
Water reservoir creates space to store water for various requirements such as domestic, municipal, irrigation, industrial, power production, navigation, carryover storage for future year's use, pisciculture (fish rearing), wild life protection and recreation purposes .
Clause III A defines how the water use is quantified / measured for domestic, municipal, irrigation, industrial, production of power and diversions outside the Godavari river basin area.
Every manmade reservoir's water is invariably used for pisciculture, wild life survival, navigation, recreation, etc.
[13] So the actual seepage loss from the manmade reservoirs and other works are to be accounted under water uses for pisciculture, wild life protection, navigation, recreational purposes as per Clause III B.
Clause III C implies that any temporary or permanent manmade bund constructed across any stream / point in Godavari river basin / system to obstruct and impound the natural flow of Godavari waters shall be considered as manmade reservoir whatever may be its storage capacity.
[15] The manner water drawl and losses are considered under water uses and measured in a scientific way as incorporated in the GWDT final order by the jury chaired by Sri RS Bachawat and its technical advisers is highly commendable when the present understanding in India of a river basin's development phases and its implications[16][17][18] are esoteric even after three decades from the notification of GWDT verdict.
To resolve the disputes between Telangana and AP states, the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) is notified on 15 July 2021 by the central govt as an autonomous body, and its project wise functions are identified.
