Stalemate over Krishna water share of A.P., T.S. set to continue further

With no resolution in sight over the Krishna River water share of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation of the combined AP, the stalemate in the matter is set to continue for the next water year too, commencing from June 1

With no resolution in sight over the Krishna River water share of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh after the bifurcation of the combined AP, the stalemate in the matter is set to continue for the next water year too, commencing from June 1.

Telangana made its stand clear in unequivocal terms at the recent meeting of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) that under no circumstances it would agree to the 34:66 (T.S.: A.P.) ratio forced upon it since bifurcation for one more year, highlighting the fact that judicious share in river waters was one of the main planks of the statehood movement.

“Telangana is entitled to a 70% share in 811 tmcft allocated to combined AP by the KWDT-I Award as per the basin parameters, but the erstwhile AP had apportioned it in 512:299 tmcft (A.P.: T.S.) ratio without protecting the in-basin requirements in the fluoride and drought-affected areas of Telangana and without considering the judicious needs of the region,” Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) of Telangana Rajat Kumar said.

Another senior official in the Irrigation Department stated that AP is diverting about 300 tmcft of water out of 512 tmcft to the areas outside the Krishna Basin, treating it as its right and forgetting the fact it is a gross violation of the KWDT-I Award. KWDT-I had made it clear that in-basin needs be given preference over the needs of areas outside the basin while taking up new projects too.

After Telangana made it clear to KRMB that it would not be a party to the orders issued by the board, if any, without its consent for continuation of the existing arrangement of 34:66 ratio, the Board Chairman has placed it on record that the matter would now be referred to the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) for its intervention. Telangana authorities stated that they would not agree for anything less than 50:50 share till finalisation of shares.

“Our argument is that 34:66 ratio was only an ad hoc argument for 2015-16 with a clear point in the minutes of the meeting that it would be reviewed every year. However, the Board has been taking it for granted and issuing orders with the same share every year. Now that we have made it clear that the Board has no powers to force its unilateral decisions, it has decided to refer the mater to the Centre,” another senior officer who handles the irrigation subject in the CMO said.

Stating that the Centre (MoJS) is simply sitting over the issue even after its assurance given at the second meeting of the Apex Council held in October 2020, a senior functionary in the government, who is considered close to the Chief Minister, said the Centre had failed to refer the matter of water shares to a Tribunal, new or existing, for over two years now, although Telangana had withdrawn its petition in the Supreme Court, as suggested by the Centre.