Telangana welcomes KWDT-II order to base on Krishna water allocation on new terms of reference

Telangana government welcomes KWDT-II order for fair water allocation, criticizes previous agreements, and calls for swift implementation.

The Telangana government has welcomed the order of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), chaired by Justice Brijesh Kumar, to adjudicate the matter of water allocation between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh based on the new terms of reference (TOR) provided under Section 3 of the Interstate River Water Disputes Act (ISRWD), 1956.

Minister for Irrigation N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was in New Delhi issued on Thursday (January 16) for the tribunal hearing, expressed gratitude to the tribunal and highlighted that the order would facilitate securing Telangana’s rightful share of Krishna River waters and described the decision as a significant victory for the State.

The erstwhile Bachawat Tribunal had awarded 811 TMCft of Krishna water to the undivided State of Andhra Pradesh. “After the formation of Telangana State, the then Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao reached an agreement with Andhra Pradesh and agreed for only 299 TMCft,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said criticising the previous Telangana government for ‘agreeing’ to the lower allocation and failing to safeguard the State’s water rights.

He said that 68.5% of the catchment area of Krishna Basin lies within Telangana, and argued that it should get 555 TMC ft of 811 TMC ft water. Further, he condemned the KCR-led government for its inability to secure project approvals for critical irrigation projects, including the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, and Bheema projects.

In October 2023, the Central government introduced additional ToR under Section 3 of the Interstate River Water Disputes Act, 1956. These ToR expanded the tribunal’s scope to include allocations for existing, ongoing, and proposed projects in both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Mr. Uttam Reddy applauded the Tribunal for acknowledging Telangana’s arguments and called for swift implementation of the order. He expressed optimism that the proceedings would address historical inequities and unlock the potential of irrigation projects in drought-prone districts like Palamuru (Mahabubnagar), Nalgonda, and Rangareddy.