HYDERABAD: According to details furnished by KRMB at the recent Board meeting, though, the Krishna water sharing ratio between Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana State (TS) is in the ratio 66:34, the AP has used more than its share this year. The water utilisation, according to the latest figures available with Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), between AP and TS is in the ratio 69.832:30.167. From Pothireddypadu alone, AP drew 169 tmc-ft.
As per the meeting details, the total water utilisation from Krishna by both the States is 930.325 tmc-ft from June 2019 to May 31, 2020. Of the 930.325 tmc-ft, AP used 649.666 tmc-ft and Telangana used 280.659 tmc-ft. Now, the available water in Krishna is 50.67 tmc-ft.
“We have kept our 50 tmc-ft water as reserve to meet the drinking water needs of the State, especially the GHMC area, till the advent of the monsoon.
However, AP did not plan for its drinking water needs. It exceeded its quota. Yet, AP recently sought 2 tmc-ft water, that we have obliged on humanitarian grounds,” an official in Irrigation Department told Express.Andhra Pradesh diverted 169.668 tmc-ft water through Pothireddypadu and another 41.918 tmc-ft through Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravan thi, meant for outside Krishna river basin.
The AP drew 5.410 tmc-ft for Muchumarri Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), which the TS termed as a new project.
However, there has been inordinate delay in reconciling the water utilisation data with regard to several projects across the Krishna. The water utilisation data has been reconciled up to April 24, 2020 for NS Left Canal. But, with regard to NSP Right Canal, reconciled utilisation data up to December 16, 2019 is 99.532 tmc-ft.
AP furnished NSRC utilisation up to April 10, 2020, which is 148.205 tmc-ft. The reconciliation of water utilisation is done for NSLC, NSRC, KC canal, PRP, KDS and MGKLI up to December 16, 2019 only, according to KRMB.