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Water war looms large on Telangana, AP
It appears that water wars are imminent between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana despite having good inflows in the Krishna reservoirs in the ongoing season. Telangana government is set to challenge AP‘s demand for utilisation of assured waters through Pothireddypadu head regulator again in the ensuing KRMB (Krishna River Management Board) meeting to be held in a week in Hyderabad.
Hyderabad: It appears that water wars are imminent between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana despite having good inflows in the Krishna reservoirs in the ongoing season. Telangana government is set to challenge AP‘s demand for utilisation of assured waters through Pothireddypadu head regulator again in the ensuing KRMB (Krishna River Management Board) meeting to be held in a week in Hyderabad.
Following reports that the AP government was exploiting the Krishna waters by diverting them to the head regulator, the Telangana government gathered all the data pertaining to the flows from Srisailam reservoir to the regulator located in Kurnool district. Even after floods were receded, the neighbouring State was releasing water to Pothireddypadu from Srisailam, alleged TS officials.
As per the guidelines, AP is permitted to exploit floodwaters from the reservoir and release the same to Pothireddypadu. Telangana is said to be serious on drawing water through Handri- Neeva after the water level in Srisailam started receding. Telangana already lodged a complaint and the KRMB also instructed AP to stop drawing water from the regulator recently.
The water levels at Srisailam should be maintained more than 870 feet for the release of water to head regulator and Handri Neeva. The AP government sought 270 tmc ft from Krishna and Telangana also forwarded indent to KRMB for 140 tmc ft of water to meet irrigation and drinking water needs this year.
Top Irrigation officials told The Hans India that at one side AP was exploiting water resources without furnishing details to the board and on the other, demanding more water. Telangana and AP should strictly adhere 299: 512 tmc ft ratio in the allocation and utilisation of water every year. All the water drawn from the assured quantity would be counted which includes release of water to Pothireddypadu and Handri–Neeva.
Earlier, Telangana had sought 122 tmc ft of water to meet its requirements. It decided to seek additional allocation to serve increasing demand for water and receive its rightful share of 30 tmc ft from Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) through Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project (AMRP).
Telangana Engineer-In-Chief (Irrigation) C Muralidhar informed the KRMB that the AMRP was taken up by the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh government in 1983 by allocating 30 tmc ft of water for irrigation of about three lakh acres ayacut.
The AMRP SLBC project and the Bachawath Tribunal orders also suggested that the SLBC may allocate assured water of 30 tmc ft out of 45 tmc ft water available for utilisation above Nagarjunasagar Project in Krishna Basin of the erstwhile AP following diversion of 80 tmc ft from the Godavari to Polavaram Right Bank Canal. The remaining 15 tmc ft is allocated to Karnataka and Maharashtra.
