VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government has written to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) urging it to refer the issue of unauthorised utilisation of water by Telangana from common reservoirs for hydel power generation to the Centre.
Requesting the KRMB to fix responsibility on Telangana as per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, which states that the defaulting State shall face financial and other penalties imposed by the Centre, the AP government also sought a 50% share in power generated from Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects.
In the letter written to the KRMB member-secretary on Wednesday, Water Resources Secretary J Syamala Rao noted that despite repeated instructions not to generate hydel power when there is no requirement in the downstream, Telangana has been continuously generating power, which resulted in wastage of precious water. He mentioned that the neighbouring State ‘unilaterally’ continued ‘unauthorised’ utilisation of 113.57 TMC from Srisailam, 86.6 TMC from Nagarjuna Sagar and 23.63 TMC from Pulichintala projects from June 1 to September 22, excluding the quantum used during the surplus water period.
While Telangana has been claiming that generation can be continued since Srisailam was conceived as a power project, he rebutted the same. He stated that the KWDT-I in its award, on page 148 categorically held that since there is no substitute for water, irrigation uses prevail over hydroelectric use.
The KWDT-I, in clause-6 of its final order, defined beneficial use and prescribed operating protocols for various beneficial uses. Both the States are bound to follow the operating protocols prescribed by the KWDT-I, wherein the operation of hydropower production is incidental to downstream irrigation requirements and there should not be drawls exclusively for power, Syamala Rao explained.
He also pointed out that paragraph 2 of Schedule XI of the AP Reorganisation Act (APRA) specifies that in the event of conflicting demand of water for irrigation and power, the requirement of water for irrigation shall take precedence.
“It is relevant to mention that section 69 of the APRA, categorically held that the successor State cannot produce power detrimental to the interest of the other successor State. It is also relevant to mention paragraph 9 of schedule XI of the APRA that in case of non-implementation of the decision by either of the States, the defaulting State shall bear the responsibility and face financial and other penalties imposed by the Centre in this regard,” the Secretary reminded the board.
Syamala Rao also recalled that even the KRMB, in the 14th board meeting held on September 1, made it clear that power generation is incidental to irrigation and drinking water needs. A clarification was also made by the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS).
“Although instructed several times earlier and reiterated in the KRMB meeting not to unilaterally draw water exclusively for power generation, TSGENCO is still continuing to draw water from Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects for power generation through its powerhouses. It is pertinent to mention here that there is no immediate downstream requirement for irrigation and drinking water needs,” he noted. He added that water was continuously being depleted in Srisailam reservoir, which resulted in water going waste into the sea as there was no irrigation requirement.
“So far, a substantial quantity of water has gone waste into the sea because of unauthorised power generation by Telangana. This clearly establishes the indifferent behaviour of Telangana in implementation of the decision taken in the 14th KRMB meeting for which responsibility may be fixed as per the powers bestowed on the KRMB vide paragraph 9 of schedule XI of the APRA,” he requested.
Syamala Rao also urged the KRMB to convene a board meeting immediately to discuss the unauthorised power generation by TS and deliberate on the pending points on the agenda of the previous meeting, which was abruptly stopped after the neighbouring State authorities staged a walk-out when the KRMB asked them to stop hydel power generation.
TS too writes to KRMB
Telangana’s Irrigation ENC (General) C Muralidhar also shot off a letter to the KRMB on Wednesday urging that AP be stopped from releasing water through Pothireddypadu HR and Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi, and account the 85.67 TMC released via both the projects against AP’s share of 512 TMC.