Revanth Reddy stressed that the drought-hit districts of Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda urgently need Krishna water.
Published Sep 15, 2025 | 2:20 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 15, 2025 | 2:20 PM
Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy. Credit: x.com/revanth_anumula
Synopsis: Telangana Congress, led by CM Revanth Reddy, is gearing up for the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II’s final hearings, demanding 904 tmcft of Krishna River water. Alleging past injustices and Andhra Pradesh’s illegal diversions, the government aims to secure water for drought-hit districts, boosting its political image. The outcome could reshape Telangana’s irrigation and Congress’ future prospects.
As Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), chaired by Justice Brijesh Kumar, will hold its final hearings in New Delhi from 23-25 September, the Telangana Congress government has launched a full-scale legal effort to secure what it calls the state’s “rightful share” of Krishna River waters.
Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy are personally leading this push. Uttam has already confirmed his presence at the hearings, declaring that he will “safeguard Telangana’s rightful share in Krishna waters to the last drop.”
On Saturday, 13 September, the Chief Minister held a high-level meeting with Uttam Kumar Reddy, senior Supreme Court counsel CS Vaidyanathan, and top irrigation officials. The agenda was clear— Telangana must present strong and convincing arguments before the tribunal.
Revanth Reddy directed officials to collect and submit all evidence proving the injustice meted out to Telangana since 2014 when the state was carved out of undivided Andhra Pradesh. He insisted that the state should not lose even a single drop of its share—whether from assured waters, surplus flows, or floodwaters.
“Telangana deserves 904 tmcft of Krishna water. We must fight for it with full force,” Revanth Reddy said.
The officials have been asked to keep ready government orders, memos, project records, and other official documents—both from the days of undivided Andhra Pradesh and from the last decade of statehood. These, he said, should be placed before the tribunal as proof of Telangana’s rights and Andhra Pradesh’s alleged violations.
The meeting also reviewed how past governments had failed to protect Telangana’s water interests. The CM noted that the previous BRS regime under K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) accepted only 299 tmcft for Telangana while conceding 512 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh. This, he said, was an “irreparable injustice.”
Legal experts informed the CM Reddy that Andhra Pradesh has already cited KCR’s acceptance of the 299 tmcft share before the tribunal.
Revanth Reddy slammed the BRS government, saying it “miserably failed” to secure Telangana’s due share. He accused KCR of “betrayal,” pointing to stalled projects like Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi as direct consequences of BRS’s negligence.
“Telangana’s rightful projects were put on hold because our share was never defended,” Revanth Reddy said.
“KCR failed more than united Andhra Pradesh itself in protecting our water rights.”
The Chief Minister also focused on Andhra Pradesh’s alleged illegal diversions. He pointed out that AP has been drawing nearly 10 tmcft of water per day from Pothireddypadu and the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme—even before the Srisailam reservoir was filled.
He asked the officials to place evidence of such diversions before the tribunal. He mentioned Pattiseema, Pulichintala, and Chintalapadu projects as examples of how Andhra was diverting Krishna water out of the basin.
He warned that these diversions threaten hydropower generation at Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar, and Pulichintala. If diversions continue, Telangana could lose its cheap hydel power capacity. “This is not just about irrigation. This is about power, drinking water, and the future of our state,” he said.
He further stressed that the drought-hit districts of Mahbubnagar, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda urgently need Krishna water.
“As a newly formed state, Telangana has every right and qualification to demand its fair share,” he asserted. Telangana is pressing for 904 tmcft of water citing its drought-prone geography and unmet irrigation needs.
The legal team is expected to argue that Telangana should have en bloc usage freedom under Section 4(1) of the ISRWD Act and Paragraph 10 of the Eleventh Schedule of the Reorganisation Act. Officials will also highlight Andhra’s repeated violations through non-basin diversions.
Beyond the legal fight, the Congress government is also playing a political game. By taking an aggressive stand, Congress hopes to portray itself as the true defender of Telangana’s interests, to refurbish its sagging image.
The government wants to focus intensely on Krishna issue as it resonates deeply in rural areas, where agriculture sustains over half the workforce.
Expanding irrigation in Mahabubnagar, Nalgonda, and Khammam would directly benefit lakhs of farmers. It would also strengthen Congress’ political base in drought-prone regions, where anti-Andhra sentiment still runs strong. Revanth Reddy openly accuses KCR of betrayal.
“KCR damaged Telangana more on Krishna waters than even undivided Andhra,” he had declared in the past.
Meanwhile, BRS is also giving back as good as it gets.
Former irrigation minister T Harish Rao has dismissed Congress’ claims several times in the past as “a book of lies.” He defended BRS’ record before the tribunal and accused Congress of hypocrisy. “It was under Congress rule before bifurcation that Telangana was forced into an unfair ratio,” he said in the past.
BRS leaders argue that Congress is only politicising the issue. They accuse the Revanth government of negligence, claiming Andhra’s diversions have continued even after Uttam Kumar Reddy’s meeting with the AP Chief Minister. Harish Rao demanded a special session of the Assembly to “expose Congress mismanagement.”
Party working president KT Rama Rao added his voice, accusing Congress of mishandling Godavari-Krishna linkage projects. He warned about Andhra’s new Godavari-Banakacherla scheme and claimed that Congress was too soft in its response.
“Letters and booklets will not save Telangana’s water,” KTR said. BRS positions itself as the “original fighter” for Telangana’s water rights, crediting KCR for whatever progress was made in the past.
The BJP has also jumped into the debate. State president Bandi Sanjay accused both Congress and BRS of failing to protect Telangana’s share. He said both parties were only using the Krishna issue as a political weapon.
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I (KWDT-I), established in 1969 and chaired by Justice RS Bachawat, allocated water among Maharashtra, Karnataka, and undivided Andhra Pradesh in 1976 based on 75 percent dependability of the Krishna River’s flow.
It assigned 811 TMCft ft to Andhra Pradesh (total 2,060 TMC ft) from an estimated yield of 2,060 TMC ft. The allocations were based on existing projects, basin areas, and historical usage, with a review clause after 25 years (2000).
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), set up in 2004 under Justice Brijesh Kumar, revised the allocations in 2010, estimating the river’s yield at 2,578 TMC ft at 65% dependability.
It allocated 666 TMC ft to Maharashtra, 911 TMC ft to Karnataka, and 1,001 TMC ft to Andhra Pradesh, allowing additional use of surplus waters and adjusting for new projects.
After the 2014 bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, KWDT-II’s allocations were temporarily split between Andhra Pradesh (512 TMC ft) and Telangana (299 TMC ft) in a 66:34 ratio, pending final adjudication.
The KWDT-II award was kept under suspension due to ongoing disputes, particularly after bifurcation.
Telangana challenged the interim 66:34 split, arguing it perpetuated historical inequities from undivided Andhra Pradesh, as its drought-prone regions received insufficient water.
Andhra Pradesh’s alleged unauthorised diversions (e.g., through Rayalaseema and Pattiseema projects) and disagreements over basin boundaries, project control, and surplus water usage led to legal challenges in the Supreme Court and KWDT-II.
The suspension allowed for fresh hearings under new Terms of Reference (2025) to the KWDT-II tribunal to address post-bifurcation realities and ensure equitable distribution.
The Congress government now insists that historical biases left Telangana vulnerable, especially as a deficit basin. Its legal team is preparing to prove this with rainfall data, cropping patterns, and records of project neglect.
The hearings in Delhi will be decisive. A strong argument could secure Telangana’s water for decades. A weak case could deny water which belongs rightfully to it. For Congress, success would not only bring water but also political mileage. Failure, however, would strengthen BRS’ attacks and amplify BJP’s criticism.
As Telangana’s legal team heads to Delhi armed with data and documents, the political temperature is rising in Hyderabad. The Krishna waters are more than just a legal matter—they are a symbol of Telangana’s struggle for fairness since its formation in 2014., Krishna remains as a current of electoral power.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
