HYDERABAD: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agreed to hand over common irrigation projects and their components to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) on Thursday.
During a meeting here at Jala Soudha, the officials of both states agreed to hand over the projects. However, Telangana has laid out certain conditions to the KRMB, specifying that protocols and decisions regarding water sharing must be established. The quantum of water to be shared would be decided by the three-member committee of the Board.
Telangana officials also expressed concerns stating that Andhra Pradesh is using Krishna water outside the basin. Now, with the KRMB operating the projects, the states will have to provide the required manpower.
Speaking to reporters later, AP irrigation engineer-in-chief C Narayana Reddy said that the government already issued GOs to hand over the projects. The AP government has no reservations in handing over the common projects to the Board, he added.
Narayana Reddy mentioned that the three-member committee would make decisions on operational protocols based on the prevailing conditions during water release. Additionally, he stated that during the Board meeting, it was agreed that two tmcft would be released from the left main canal and three tmcft from the right main canal to fulfil drinking water requirements in Andhra Pradesh.
Telangana irrigation engineering-in-chief C Muralidhar said the state has agreed to transfer projects for operational management, but no decision has been reached regarding the operation of hydel power stations.
He clarified that Telangana would oversee Nagarjuna Sagar, while AP would be responsible for Srisailam. He said that a letter addressing specific concerns had been sent to the Centre. Muralidhar emphasised that the projects have not been entirely transferred to the Board. The Board’s responsibility is limited to the operation and water release aspects, he added.
Letter to Jal Shakti secy
Meanwhile, Irrigation Secretary Rahul Bojja wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Ministry of Jal Shakti underscoring the significance of an operational protocol as a fundamental prerequisite before transferring projects to the KRMB. Despite Telangana’s insistence on these matters during the recent Jal Shakti meeting, they were not documented in the minutes, he added.
In the letter, Bojja said, “Telangana has also stated that the hydel power projects should be controlled by the states based on the geographical locations as outlined in the AP Reorganisation Act. These points need to be incorporated into the minutes.”
He requested the ministry to issue a corrigendum on the minutes of the meeting held on January 17 in New Delhi.
Telangana’s conditions
Irrigation secretary Rahul Bojja in his letter to the Jal Shakti secretary recalled that Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)-2 was mandated to make operation protocol between AP and TS under Section 89 of AP Reorganisation Act. Pending adjudication by KWDT-2, Telangana is willing to consider ad hoc operation protocol subject to:
Water sharing between AP and TS shall be in the ratio of 50:50 till KWDT-2 finalises allocations
In-basin needs shall be met on priority as per KWDT-1
Srisailam project was sanctioned as hydro-electric project by Planning Commission in 1962 for supplying 264 tmcft to Nagarjuna Sagar Project. Accordingly, minimum draw-down level (MDDL) of Srisailam shall be above 830 feet as per KWDT-1 award
Outside basin diversions from Srisailam reservoir shall be limited to 34 tmcft (15 tmcft for Chennai water supply and 19 tmcft for SRBC)
States shall be permitted to carry over water to the next year as per KWDT-1 and shall not be accounted as use in the next year account
Unauthorised construction of projects/expansions/new components diverting Krishna water to outside basin shall not be permitted strictly unless approved by Central Water Commission or Jal Shatki