Telangana presses for 50:50 water sharing till finalisation of award
The Hindu
Marathon meeting of Krishna River Management Board agrees to form a panel on Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar
A marathon meeting of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) held here on Friday to discuss several contentious issues, including sharing of water for the coming water year, 2022-23, commencing from June 1, has ended in a stalemate with Andhra Pradesh and the river board officials insisting upon continuing the ad hoc sharing arrangement, while Telangana opposing it.
Issues such as handing over the management of projects, particularly 15 outlets of Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar (NSP) and Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS), sanction of budget for the administration of the river board, release of ₹200 crore each seed money to the board by the two member States, approval for pending projects, shifting of the river board office to AP and others were discussed.
Senior officials and engineers of the Irrigation Department of the two States, including Special Chief Secretary Rajat Kumar (TS), Principal Secretary Shashibhushan Kumar (AP), Engineers-in-Chief C. Muralidhar (TS), C. Narayana Reddy (AP) and others attended the meeting.
However, there was consensus on forming a six-member committee to go into the aspect of safety and management of Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar dams, including generation of power. Telangana reiterated at the meeting that hydel generation is important for it since about 26 agricultural pumpsets utilise energy for drawing groundwater for raising crops.
Special Chief Secretary (Telangana) Rajat Kumar made it clear at the meeting that Telangana would not accept the current ad hoc water sharing ratio of 66 (AP): 34 (Telangana) stating that injustice was being done to Telangana for long and demanded that the sharing of water should be equal (50:50) till the shares are adjudicated by the tribunal (KWDT-II).
“Based on the criteria of catchment area, our demand is for 575 tmc ft share in Krishna waters. But, we are ready for 50:50 sharing in the 811 tmc ft allocation made for combined AP till the shares for AP and Telangana are finalised by the tribunal. We won’t accept continuation of 512 (AP): 299 (TS) sharing from the coming water year as our ongoing projects such as SLBC, Kalwakurthy and Nettempadu require at least 125 tmc ft water more although all ongoing project require 225 tmc ft.,” Mr. Rajat Kumar said.
Telangana members informed the board authorities that they will not accept forcible implementation of ad hoc water sharing arrangement stating that the board has no authority to take any decision without consensus. The State would move the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) in case the river board forces ad hoc water sharing arrangement with the demand for 50:50 ratio sharing.
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