VIJAYAWADA: The three-member committee of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), which met in Hyderabad on Friday, discussed the water sharing indents for both irrigation and drinking water sought by Andhra Pradesh and Telangana till March 31. While the water order has not been released till late in the evening, it is learnt that AP sought 108 TMCft and Telangana 95 TMCft.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting at Jala Soudha, engineer-in-chief (irrigation, AP) C Narayana Reddy said the requested water would be allocated, and that a committee was formed to assess water losses under Nagarjuna Sagar left canal. “We have comprehensively discussed the water requirement for both the states till March 31. The indents placed will be allocated. Both sides have also requested to resolve long-pending issues like transmission losses under Nagarjuna Sagar left canal so that they won’t become a point of discussion in every meeting. A committee has been formed to look into the losses under Nagarjuna Sagar left canal. [Telangana is claiming] that there are uncontrollable losses of over 40 per cent.
So, we requested the committee to factually assess the losses and arrive at a reasonable percentage,” he said. It is learnt that while Telangana claimed 44 per cent losses, AP contended it was around 27 per cent.
Narayana Reddy further told the media that he had also requested the board to not consider utilisation of surplus flood water as it was done to avoid flood damages. “If we operate upper outlets when all reservoirs and barrages are full to divert water that goes waste into the sea, it should not be considered utilisation as it is done to mitigate damages to property and agriculture,” he said.
Further, the committee also discussed supply of drinking water to Chennai. While AP submitted that two thirds share should be accounted for it, Telangana said such arrangement should be restricted up to 5 TMC. Over 5 TMC, it contended that water from AP’s share should be given.
A discussion on carry over of unutilised water by Telangana in the next water year was opposed by AP which argued that unused water can’t be accounted in the next year. There were also disagreement with respect to utilisation of 18 TMC of water by AP from Pattiseema lift irrigation, but AP eventually agreed to account for it. Telangana officials also sought that water should not be used below the minimum draw down level (MDDL) of 800 feet of Srisailam reservoir and 510 feet of Nagarjuna Sagar.
To a query on relocation of KRMB office, the official said it was not fair to say that the board should be located within the Krishna river basin and added that the board would be relocated as per the government’s decision. He pointed out that Godavari River Board was located in Krishna basin.