Krishna river board stops Andhra Pradesh’s GO 203 in its tracks
HYDERABAD/VIJAYAWADA: The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) on Thursday directed the AP government not to go ahead with the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) and enhancement of capacity of Pothireddypadu Head Regulator to 80,000 cusecs till the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the scheme is vetted by agencies concerned.
Now, AP’s project and other contentious issues would be referred to the Apex Council, which is likely to resolve the matters. During the six-hour KRMB meeting at Jala Soudha, both AP and Telangana officials presented their versions on the alleged ‘new’ projects including RLIS, for which the AP government accorded administrative sanction through GO 203.
While Telangana officials including principal secretary Rajat Kumar explained that AP’s proposed project was detrimental to the interests of Telangana, AP special chief secretary Irrigation Aditya Nath Das said the RLIS was not intended to divert extra water over that allocated to AP from the Krishna river.
OFFICIALS DEBATE OVER DEFINITION OF ‘NEW PROJECTS’
AP special chief secretary Irrigation Aditya Nath Das said that they would diver water within their quota. After hearing the arguments of both the States, KRMB chairman A Paramesham directed AP not to go ahead with the project till the DPR was vetted and the project got clearance. During the six-hour-long 12th board meeting, there was a difference of opinion of the definition of ‘new projects’ regarding which both the states have been at loggerheads, opposing the projects proposed by the other. “There was a difference of opinion on what is the definition of a new project.
Jala Soudha in Hyderabad on Thursday | S SENBAGAPANDIYAN
As per Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s view, any project which didn’t get technical clearance or apprised by a competent authority should be treated as new. It should be cleared by KRMB and Central Water Commission and put before the apex council for final clearance...We have asked both the states to submit the DPRs of projects, either old or new, which were not cleared by a competent authority. They agreed to do it after getting their governments’ permission,” Paramesham, told mediapersons later. While, AP officials raised the ‘new’ projects taken up by the TS government including Palamuru- Rangareddy and others, the TS officials showed the GOs issued for the construction of those projects by the combined Andhra Pradesh government. Some of the GOs were issued for the TS projects when Aditya Nath Das was principal secretary,
Irrigation in the combined AP government, a TS official pointed out in the meeting. The TS officials said that they would refer the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme to Apex Council, if the Board did not do justice to TS. Meanwhile, the Board chairman said that the issue of sharing of waters diverted from Godavari to Krishna basin by AP and TS was referred to the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the views of the Ministry were awaited. “Both the States - AP and TS - were directed to submit the DPRs of all the new projects taken up by them for appraisal and technical clearance by KRMB/CWC and for sanction by the Apex Council. The States agreed to submit the DPRs with due permission from their respective State governments,” the Board chairman said.
WATER WARS
The other decisions taken by the KRMB are:
- The ratio of water sharing between AP and TS to remain at 66:34 this year, as was done in the last year till finalisation of decision regarding minor irrigation and diversion of Godavari waters.
- The power generated at Srisailam will be shared between AP and TS on 50:50 ratio.
- Surplus waters will be shared in 50:50 ratio by both the States in 2019-20.
- Regarding accounting losses in NSP left canal between AP and TS, it was decided that the existing committee will make field observations during the current water year also
- The accounting of 20% of withdrawals made towards domestic water supply as consumptive use, it was agreed to refer the matter to the CWC to decide on the issue.
- The shifting of headquarters of KRMB to AP capital will be referred to the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
The ‘new’ projects in AP to which TS has objected to:
- Muchumarri LI
- Gundrevula Reservoir
- LIS for supplementation of Gajuladinne ayacut
- Guru Raghavendra LIS
- Pulikanuma LIS
- Sidapuram LIS
- Sivabhashyam LIS
- Munneru Scheme
- RDS Right Canal
- New LIS on Tungabhadra river between RDS and Sunkesula barrage
- Vaikuntapuram barrage on river Krishna upstream of Prakasam barrage
- Interlinking of Godavari and Penna river in phase-1 from Harischandrapuram village to Nekarikallu village in Guntur districts
- Vedavathi (Hagari) river LIS
- Naguladinne KLIS
- Rayalaseema pumping system and enhancement of diversion capacity of Pothireddypadu head regulator to 80,000 cusecs.
