Tribunal approved to resolve water dispute between Orissa,AP

New Delhi, Jun 25:The Union Cabinet today approved consitution of a Tribunal to resolve Vansadhara Water Dispute between Orissa and Andhra Pradesh.

The Tribunal, to be constituted under Inter-State River Water Disputes Act, 1956, would consist of a Chairman and two members nominated by the Chief Justice of India from among the sitting judges of the Supreme Court or High Court, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Ambika Soni told mediapersons here.

She said the constitution of the Tribunal would enable the government to comply with the Supreme Court order of February 6.

Earlier, the Ministry of Water Resources had received the request under section 3 of the Inter State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 from Orissa in February 2006 for constitution of Water Dispute Tribunal for abjudication of water dispute between Orissa and Andhra Pradesh pertaining to inter-state river Vansadhara.

Meanwhile, the Orissa government had also filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court. The apex court while hearing the petition on February 6, had directed the Union Government to constitute a tribunal within a period of six months and refer the said dispute to it.

UNI