HYDERABAD: Telangana Irrigation Department officials, on Thursday, requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to allow the state to utilise an additional 45 tmcft of dependable water in the Krishna river, as Andhra Pradesh is diverting 80 tmcft of Godavari water to the Krishna basin through Polavaram project.
In a letter to KRMB chairman MP Singh, Irrigation Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar said that since the formation of the state, Telangana had been requesting the Centre for allowing it to utilise 45 tmcft of dependable water for its in-basin projects in lieu of diversion of Godavari waters, as per the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT).
He recalled that during the proceedings before Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)-1, Maharashtra and Karnataka had strongly protested against the outside basin diversion by AP at the cost of in-basin requirements. As per the GWDT Award, the additional dependable water available in the Krishna basin, in lieu of diversion of water from Godavari river to Krishna Delta System, shall be utilised within the Krishna basin.
In 1985, the undivided AP submitted proposals to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for clearances of the SLBC (tunnel scheme) against the share of Godavari diversion from Polavaram i.e., 45 tmcft arising out of interstate agreement.
However, the CWC clarified that the examination of the project is suspended for the present as Polavaram project was not cleared by the CWC and advised to submit the proposals once the Polavaram project is cleared by the CWC. However, the combined AP authorities neglected the in-basin project of SLBC later, Muralidhar said in the letter.
Don’t allow AP to use more than 34 tmcft, requests Telangana
In another letter on augmenting the drinking water supply to Chennai, Muralidhar asked the KRMB against permitting AP to use more than 34 tmcft from the Srisailam reservoir. “Arrange to establish sensors all along Pothireddypadu head regulator, all outlets from Banakacherla cross regulator, off-take Chennamukkapally and outlets from Kandaleru and Poondi border to have a correct picture of releases as per the interstate agreements,” Muralidhar said. He also requested to include issues relating to the modernisation of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) anicut to ensure that Telangana realises its full share of water.
In his third letter, Muralidhar wanted the KRMB to direct the AP government not to proceed with works on SRBC, TGP, HNSS, GNSS and others taken up with an estimated cost of Rs 47,776.5 crore to divert water to Pennar and other adjoining basins far-off places up to 700 km and beyond.
All the schemes would negatively impact the availability of water to the projects, serving Telangana territory, he mentioned. Muralidhar said that the water required for the 13 lift irrigation schemes proposed to be constructed in Nalgonda district would be met from out off earmarked share of Telangana from NSLC and there was no additional use of water.