HYDERABAD: Raising objections over unauthorised diversion of Krishna waters to Rayalaseema in Andhra Pradesh, located outside the Krishna river basin, Telangana Irrigation Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar on Thursday urged the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) not to allow AP to draw water without the Board’s consent.“KRMB shall not permit any water to be diverted from Srisailam till the entire in-basin needs are met and that too only if Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects are spilling,” Muralidhar said.
In a letter to the KRMB chairman, Muralidhar wrote: “Telangana has not received any requisition from KRMB for releases from Pothireddypadu head regulator. Hence, AP is conveniently trying to seek the permission though it is actually diverting water”. Officials also reiterated the State’s demand that the KRMB should follow a sharing arrangement of 50:50 ratio, i.e., 405.5 tmcft each out of 811 tmcft allocated by Bachawat Tribunal to erstwhile AP, from this water year, and also restrain AP from diverting Krishna waters to outside its basin before fully meeting in-basin needs.
“The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal is making project-wise specific allocations to AP and Telangana as per Section 89 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. In view of the same, an ad hoc arrangement in June, 2016 was made to use Krishna water in 512:299 ratio for one year only, without any prejudice to claims of states before any fora. This was modified as 66:34 between AP and Telangana in 2017, excluding minor irrigation utilisations, evaporation losses and Pattiseema diversions for one year. Telangana is agreeable to share Krishna water in the ratio of 50:50 from this water year 2021-22, till the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal’s decision, as Telangana is suffering a lot of distress due to insufficient water even after seven years of its formation,” Muralidhar said.
Muralidhar further informed the Board chairman that the Bachawat Tribunal had made an en bloc allocation of 811 tmcft out of 75 per cent dependable flows to erstwhile AP, apart from giving it the liberty to use the remaining water. He also pointed out that a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court had clarified that allocations made by the Tribunal were en bloc and not project-specific.
It may be mentioned here that it is a normal practice that the three-member committee or the full board meeting of the KRMB decides the water sharing every year between the sibling states. However, this year, the meeting has not been held so far, even though Srisailam was overflowing. Muralidhar also said that Telangana had no objection if AP generated hydel power from Srisailam.
STRUCTURES OF KRMB, GRMB TO BE FINALISED
The organisational structure for KRMB and GRMB will be finalised at the respective board meetings. “The KRMB/GRMB shall approve and put in place an appropriate organisational structure and shall appoint officers serving in the Central government,” stated the Jal Shakti Ministry’s notification
NAGARJUNASAGAR GATES LIKELY TO BE LIFTED SOON
As Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) will be overflowing in the next four days, due to good flow from Almatti, the project gates are likely to be lifted on Sunday or Monday. The NSP filled up to 66 per cent on Thursday, with 204.96 tmcft storage as against its full capacity of 312.05 tmcft, with inflows of 2,70,767 cusecs