Hyderabad: KRMB to manage Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar projects

Hyderabad : The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments have agreed to hand over the management of Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

The high-level meeting conducted by the board decided to constitute a three-member committee to resolve the long-pending water sharing disputes between the two Telugu states. The two state representatives gave their consent to hand over six components in Telangana and nine components of the projects on Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to the Krishna Board.

As per the Reorganization Act, the board would take over the projects’ management with the approval of the two states. The meeting, sources said, had not discussed the issue of the management of hydel power stations under Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects. The three-member committee would also take a decision on the release of water to both states in every season. The Telangana government insisted on water sharing between the two states in the ratio of 50:50 till KWDT-2 finalises allocations. The irrigation officials of the state also raised the issues of unauthorized construction of projects diverting the Krishna water to outside the basin without the approval of the CWC or Ministry of Jal Shakti.

The Telangana irrigation officials informed the Board that there was no need of deployment of the CRPF battalion on the left half of the Nagarjuna Sagar project dam.

Telangana Engineer-in-Chief Muralidhar said the state government will approach the Centre on the issues raised by the state before the KRMB in the just concluded meeting. The two states agreed to display the Outlet Board for the water management.

Andhra Pradesh Engineer-in-Chief Narayana Reddy said the decision of the three-member committee would be final in the allocation of water between the two states. The two states also agreed on the allocation of the staff. He said the Board will look after the management of the components of the projects in coordination with the two states.