HYDERABAD: While Telangana sought an allocation of 789.8 tmcft out of the total 811 tmcft of Krishna water allocated to undivided Andhra Pradesh, the AP requested the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal not to disrupt the project-wise allocations already in place. Both sibling states presented their pleas before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 (KWDT-2) on Monday.
In its Statement of Case (SoC), Telangana argued that Andhra Pradesh had saved 291 tmcft of water out of its total allocation of 512 tmcft and requested the Tribunal to allocate the saved water from AP to the state’s ongoing projects. Additionally, Telangana requested an allocation of another 238.4 tmcft for ongoing projects like SLBC (40 tmcft), Kalwakurthy LIS (53 tmcft), Nettempadu LIS (25.4 tmcft), PRLIS (90 tmcft) and Dindi LIS (30 tmcft). Telangana also sought 9 tmcft for the Jurala project, as proposed by KWDT-2.
The state emphasised the need for additional water in Krishna, citing Andhra Pradesh’s diversion of Godavari water to the Krishna delta. However, AP argued that KWDT has no jurisdiction over the waters available due to the Godavari diversion.
As the Union government referred further terms of reference (ToR) to the existing Tribunal under Section 3 of the Inter State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956, the Tribunal directed both Telugu states to file SoCs and replies. Thus, both states filed their SoCs on Monday.
Telangana plea
Telangana petitioned for an equitable share out of the total 811 tmcft at 75% dependability, urging that it should not be less than 555 tmcft, to be allocated to the state. Additionally, Telangana requested the entire additional quantum of 43 tmcft at 65% dependability to be designated as Telangana’s share and allocated accordingly. Telangana further appealed for the allocation of the entire 45 tmcft, diverted to the Krishna basin by Andhra Pradesh. Telangana also urged the Tribunal to restrict water allocations for projects serving outside the basin to a single Irrigated Dry (ID) crop, such as NSP, KC canal, TBPRBHLC and Guntur channel. “Restrain projects diverting water to outside the basin, taken up after 1976 from out of 75% dependable flows. Grant the liberty to use the entire remaining waters available beyond 2,578 tmcft to Telangana. Direct that priority will be given to the nine in-basin requirements,” Telangana said in its pray.
Andhra Pradesh plea
Andhra Pradesh requested that 28 projects undertaken by the erstwhile AP out of 75% dependable allocations, made by KWDT-1, be treated as ‘existing projects’ and protected utilisations. The AP argued that the project-wise allocations made earlier should not be disturbed, citing the explanation to Section 89 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The AP emphasised that failure to pass suitable orders would result in irreparable loss and injury to inhabitants dependent on the Krishna river waters.