Irrigation Secretary emphasised the need for an adequate volume of water to meet drinking and irrigation needs of Telangana until 31 May, when the current water year ends.
Published Feb 28, 2025 | 8:25 AM ⚊ Updated Feb 28, 2025 | 8:25 AM
Krishna river near Srisailam dam. (Wikimedia)
Synopsis: The Krishna River Management Board advised Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to use the water available in the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam reservoirs judiciously, prioritising drinking water requirements. Telangana had argued before the KRMB that there was no need for a fresh allotment of water to Andhra Pradesh, as the latter had already exceeded its quota for the water year ending on 31 May.
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), during a meeting at Jala Soudha in Hyderabad on Thursday, 27 February, advised the sparring sibling states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to use the limited water available in the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam reservoirs judiciously, prioritising drinking water requirements over irrigation.
The meeting, originally scheduled for Wednesday, was postponed to Thursday after Andhra Pradesh officials failed to attend. Although Telangana officials were present, the absence of Andhra Pradesh representatives led the KRMB Chairman Atul Jain to reschedule the meeting.
He reportedly indicated that he would issue an ex-parte order if Andhra Pradesh officials did not attend the rescheduled meeting.
However, Andhra Pradesh Principal Secretary (Irrigation) G Sai Prasad and Engineer-in-Chief M Venkateswara Rao attended Thursday’s meeting. Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja and Engineer-in-Chief G Anil Kumar represented Telangana.
During the meeting, Rahul Bojja emphasised the need for an adequate volume of water to meet drinking and irrigation needs of Telangana until 31 May, when the current water year ends.
Telangana had already requested 63 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet) of water from the available volume in both reservoirs, while Andhra Pradesh sought 55 tmcft. Bojja urged that Telangana’s concerns be documented and forwarded to the Union government for further action.
The KRMB stressed that both states should use the available water prudently, with priority given to drinking water needs. The board also advised the states to utilise the water to protect crops that are in varying stages of growth.
It recommended that the two states meet once every fortnight to review water availability and their respective needs. The board noted that the combined water available for drawal from both reservoirs above minimum draw-down level (MDDL) was just over 60 tmcft.
Currently, Andhra Pradesh is drawing water at a rate of 7,000 cusecs from its right bank canal at the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir, while Telangana is drawing 9,000 cusecs from the left bank canal.
Apart from this, Andhra Pradesh is drawing 2,200 cusecs from the Srisailam reservoir, while Telangana is lifting 2,400 cusecs through the Kalwakurthy lift irrigation scheme.
On Monday, Rahul Bojja argued before the KRMB that there was no need for a fresh allotment of water to Andhra Pradesh, as the latter had already exceeded its quota for the water year ending on 31 May.
Andhra Pradesh, represented by Engineer-in-Chief M Venkateswara Rao, however, requested additional water, citing an acute drinking water shortage. The state agreed to temporarily halt water withdrawals from both reservoirs until a fresh allocation is made but maintained that it was drawing water within its allotted quota.
Telangana alleged that Andhra Pradesh had drawn water beyond its allocated share from both the Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam reservoirs. After hearing the arguments, the KRMB chairman postponed the meeting to Wednesday, which did not take place. The meeting, however, was held on Thursday.
The KRMB has been allocating water seasonally in a 66:34 ratio, as agreed upon by the two states in 2015. This arrangement will remain in place until the resolution of the Krishna water distribution issue, which is currently under consideration by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
Telangana claimed that Andhra Pradesh had already drawn 75 percent of the water, exceeding its allotted 66 percent share for the year, and therefore should not be entitled to additional water. It further alleged that Andhra Pradesh had illegally drawn water from both the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects and demanded that Telangana be allocated 110 tmcft of water until the end of the current water year for both irrigation and drinking purposes.
Telangana has repeatedly raised the issue with the KRMB after observing Andhra Pradesh diverting water at a rate of 10,000 cusecs per day from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project through its right bank canal.
(Edited by Muhammed Fazil.)
