Context: Recently, the Union government has decided to take the stock of water utilisation from the Krishna and Godavari rivers following the filing of complaints against each other by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments.
Issue

• The two States- AP and Telangana- share stretches of the Krishna and the Godavari and own their tributaries.
• They have embarked on several new projects without getting clearance from the river boards, the Central Water Commission and the apex council comprising the Union Water Resources Minister and the Chief Ministers, as mandated by the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. 
• But, Telangana government last year filed a complaint against AP government for taking up projects across Krishna river.

Key Points

• At a video-conference, Secretary, Department of Water Resources, Union Ministry of Jal Sakthi, asked the Chairpersons of the Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards to procure the details of the irrigation projects in Maharashtra and Karnataka, too, and submit them to the Centre.
• The main objective of the exercise appears to be to assess whether surplus water will be available for the new projects in the light of the disputes.
• Information about the projects that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana had on the two rivers was also sought.

About Krishna River

• The Krishna River is the second biggest river in peninsular India after Godavari River.
• It originates near Mahabaleshwar (Satara) in Maharashtra.  
• It then runs from four states Maharashtra (303 km), North Karnataka (480 km) and the rest of its 1300 km journey in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh before it empties into the Bay of Bengal.
• Tungabhadra, Mallaprabha, Koyna, Bhima, Ghataprabha, Yerla, Warna, Dindi, Musi and Dudhganga are its tributaries.
• It is an east-flowing river and together with its tributaries, it forms a vast basin that covers 33% of the total area of the four states.

About Godaveri River

• The Godavari river is the largest river of Peninsular India. It is known as the Dakshin Ganga or Vridha Ganga (old Ganga) because of its age, size and length. It is navigable in the delta region.
• Source of origin of the Godavari river: It rises from a place called Trimbak located in the Western Ghats in Nashik district in the state of Maharashtra.
• Confluence or mouth of the Godavari river: It drains into the Bay of Bengal before forming a large delta below Rajahmundry.
• Major Tributaries of the Godavari river Indravati River, Pranhita River, Penganga River, Purna River, Duhna River, Manjra River, Wardha River, Wainganga River, Sabari River
• The Godavari river flows through the states of Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Karnataka and Puducherry. 
• The Godavari basin is bounded by Satmala hills on the north, Ajanta range and Mahadeo hills on the south, the Eastern Ghats on the east and the Western Ghats on the west.

Two important constitutional articles related the water disputes
Article 262

• Adjudication of disputes relating to waters of inter-state rivers or river valleys
• Parliament may by law provide for the adjudication of any dispute or complaint with respect to the use, distribution or control of the waters of, or in, any inter State river or river valley
• Notwithstanding anything in this Constitution, Parliament may by law provide that neither the Supreme Court nor any other court shall exercise jurisdiction in respect of any such disputes

Article 263

• Provisions with respect to an inter-State Council: If any time it appears to the President that the public interests would be served by the establishment of a Council charged with the duty of inquiring into and advising upon disputes which may have arisen between States;
• investigating and discussing subjects in which some or all of the States, or the Union and one or more of the States, have a common interest; or
• making recommendations upon any such subject and, in particular, recommendations for the better coordination of policy and action with respect to that subject, in shall be lawful for the President by order to establish such a Council, and to define the nature of the duties to be performed by it and its organisation and procedure