VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department on Monday argued before the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) that Telangana has taken up five new projects (to utilise 150.53 TMC of Krishna water) without getting any approvals from the KRMB, Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Apex Council.
Citing a recent letter to the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), a high-level delegation from the AP Water Resources Department also raised the issue of Telangana’s seven new projects (to utilise 450.31 TMC), for which Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) were not given to GRMB and approval was not granted by the Apex Council.
The department urged the GRMB to stop these projects as they will adversely impact the existing and approved projects in Andhra Pradesh. Turning the tables on Telangana, the delegation cited Telangana’s argument at the Apex Council meeting on Sept 21, 2016, that, “Telangana will restrict itself within the allocation made by KDWDT II and go ahead with the above two projects (Palamuru-Ranga Reddy LIS and Dindi LIS).” In the same way, it said AP will execute the Rayalaseema Lift Scheme to draw water at 800 ft of the Srisailam project to meet the needs of Rayalaseema, and parts of Nellore and Prakasam districts, with the amount of water allocated to it.
Both states still friends: KCR
Amid the standoff between the states, Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao on Monday said the States remain bosom friends and are working together.
Sources said the delegation reiterated that Telangana’s interests will not be affected by the proposed Rayalaseema Lift Scheme, and the water will be used within the allocations made to the state. The delegation also brought to the notice of the Board that it has written several letters since June 2015 pointing out that Telangana took up five new projects post bifurcation of the state, that do not have approvals and are in violation of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Further, it was pointed out that Telangana enhanced the scope of three ongoing projects - Kalwakurthi LIS, Nettempadu LIS, SLBC - for additional utilisation of 28.4 TMC. Though several complaints were lodged with the Union Ministry of Water Resources, CWC, and KRMB, there was no response.
Following a writ petition filed against the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy LIS and Dindi LIS, the Supreme Court had directed the Ministry of Water Resources to convene a meeting of the Apex Council, and subsequently, the meeting was convened. But, when AP’s concerns were not addressed, it requested several times for a second meeing of the Apex Council to be convened. However, there was no response.
Experts say that while Telangana is able to draw water from the Srisailam project at a level of 800 feet and even at 796 feet for power generation (42,000 cusecs), AP can only draw water from the Srisailam project at 881 feet to the full capacity of Pothireddypadu Head Regulator (PHR), that too for just 10 to 15 days a year. At 854 feet, drawal of water is only possible at the discharge rate of 7,000 cusecs. As such, Andhra is not able to draw its share of water.
