Farmers’ body cries foul over inter-State water projects in Krishna and Godavari basins

Farmers’ body cries foul over inter-State water projects in Krishna and Godavari basins. Farmers in the tail-end areas of Krishna and Godavari in Andhra Pradesh are bearing the brunt of construction of projects by the upper riparian States in blatant violation of the Interstate Water Disputes Act of 1956, alleges Kisan Service Organization A.P. president Akkineni Bhavani Prasad.

Kisan Service Organization A.P. president Akkineni Bhavani Prasad wrote a letter to Water Resources Minister Nimmala Rama Naidu requesting him to take steps that would do justice to farmers in the tail-end areas of Krishna and Godavari rivers, who bore the brunt of construction of projects by the upper riparian States of both the rivers in “blatant violation” of the Interstate Water Disputes Act of 1956.

Mr. Prasad mentioned that the said projects were being constructed by those States to utilise water beyond their allocations. One such example was the Babli project constructed by the Maharashtra Government on the Godavari river to the detriment of the lower riparian States.

Besides, Telangana had, since its formation in 2014, taken up several projects in the Krishna basin, including Kalwakurthy-II, Dindi, Palamuru-Rangareddy, Kodangal lift scheme, etc. for utilising more than 150 tmc ft.

Telangana was not entitled to even Bhima, Kalwakurthy -I, Srisailam left bank canal and Nettempadu lift scheme as per the Tribunal Awards, he argued.

These projects should be reviewed scrupulously on their quantum and elevations of drawl of water from the main Krishna river and its tributaries, and their entitlement as per the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)-I and II Awards, and necessary action initiated, he demanded.

Further, Mr. Prasad said Justice R.S. Bachawat had made it amply clear that the catchment area was not the criterion for allocation of water.

As the upper States increase the utilisation and resort to rainwater harvesting on a large scale, farmers in the tail-end State of Andhra Pradesh were suffering with a drastic reduction in the base flow of the river and facing severe drought conditions during the rainy season, he observed.