KCR to take water war to Delhi

Hyderabad: The ongoing tussle between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on Krishna water sharing is taking new twists and turns. Notwithstanding the objections of Andhra Pradesh, KCR has instructed the State Irrigation officials to visit the projects on River Krishna and compile details pertaining to water discharge at every project site and utilisation of water for power generation.

The CM asked the officials to use this real-time data to effectively counter the arguments of the AP government that Telangana was utilising more water than what was allocated to it.

KCR said that he would soon meet Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi and make a presentation on water utilisation of TS and AP. He said he will also explain how the "illegal" projects by Andhra would adversely affect the interests of Telangana.

Official sources said that KCR took strong exception to the Krishna River Management Board's 'unilateral' instruction to Telangana to stop power generation and the discharge of water from the Srisailam left powerhouse.

It may be mentioned here that Andhra Pradesh had complained to the KRMB and asked them to direct TS to stop power generation from Srisailam. Sources said that in the past the KRMB had never issued such instructions to Telangana. The Srisailam powerhouse, officials said, was drawing water within the temporary allocation of 299 tmc feet of water to the State.

Adequate water levels in the project would only permit generating power and the AP's complaint that Telangana was drawing water from dead storage was not correct.

Official teams from the Irrigation department visited Jurala and Srisailam powerhouse to measure water levels and power generation. Anticipating trouble from Andhra, police forces were deployed at Nagarjuna Sagar project on the border district of Nalgonda.

Sources further said that KCR during his Delhi visit will also take up the contentious issues on "illegal projects" like Rayalaseema lift irrigation scheme, enhancement of Pothireddyadu head regulator capacity and ongoing Rajolibanda Diversions Scheme Right Main Canal.

The Telangana government expressed its serious concern over the way the KRMB was acting. The board, which took swift action on a complaint by AP on power generation, is resorting to delaying tactics under one pretext or the other in visiting the "illegal projects" taken up by AP, KCR said.