HYDERABAD: State irrigation minister T Harish Rao has urged Union water resources and river development minister Nitin Jairam Gadkari to instal tamper-proof telemetry system without further delay near the irrigation projects built on Krishna river.
“In view of the continuous under-reporting of drawl by Andhra Pradesh at Pothireddypadu regulator and Banakacherla cross regulator with multiple diversions and large storages en route, I request you to instruct the official concerned of CWC or Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) for installation and commissioning of a tamper-proof telemetry system without any further delay,” he said in a letter written to Gadkari on Monday and hoped that the system would become functional before the commencement of the water year 2018-19.
Rao told Gadkari that regulation of river water supply as per the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 was more complex with regard to Krishna river. “The issue pertaining to Krishna river is more complex as it forms a common boundary between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for a substantial portion. Lack of proper mechanism causes avoidable unpleasantness. I am of the opinion that a transparent and robust telemetry/data acquisition system at various places of withdrawal is a must for proper water accounting,” Harish Rao said.
Harish Rao said that though the KRMB meeting decided to instal telemetry at various places in June 2016, particularly at Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects within two months, the system did not become functional even after two years.
“As far as the Srisailam reservoir is concerned, AP developed a gravity-based system at Pothireddypadu which is capable of drawing up to 55,000 cusecs of water. In the absence of accurate flow measurement system at Pothireddypadu there is always dispute about the quantum of water utilised by AP,” Rao told Gadkari in the letter.