HYDERABAD: Citing Krishna as a deficit basin, Telangana on Thursday argued before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal that Andhra Pradesh should meet its second and third crop irrigation needs and outside-basin diversions using water from the Godavari river.
Resuming arguments before the Tribunal, Telangana’s senior counsel quoted the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT) Award, which had observed that Maharashtra and Karnataka had long raised concerns over the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh’s excess use of Krishna waters, enabled by the diversion of Godavari water into Krishna. This, Telangana argued, had allowed Andhra Pradesh to exceed its entitlement, including for outside-basin use.
To resolve the Polavaram dispute before the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT), AP had signed an agreement with Karnataka and Maharashtra on August 4, 1978. It allowed diversion of 80 tmcft of Godavari water from Polavaram — 35 tmcft of Krishna water was to be used by Karnataka and Maharashtra, and 45 tmcft by undivided Andhra Pradesh. Telangana argued it should now be allocated the 45 tmcft for in-basin use.
The state pointed out that Godavari–Krishna diversion schemes have expanded from 10,000 to 40,000 cusecs. It cited a recent AP order to set up “Jalaharathi Corporation” to divert Godavari water from Polavaram to Banakacherla. These diversions are supplementing the irrigation needs of the Nagarjunasagar right canal and other projects, Telangana said, adding that schemes like Polavaram–Banakacherla link, Chintalapudi LIS, and Tadipudi expansion serve areas outside the Krishna basin. Hence, Krishna water should be reserved for in-basin use.
On the Krishna Delta System (KDS), Telangana said that the drainage water use was not previously considered, but the later KDS modernisation report showed its utility. It demanded that this drain water be included in the 152.2 tmcft allocated to KDS.
Telangana also pointed to the nearly 3,000–4,000 tmcft of Godavari water flowing into the sea each year. Schemes like Chintalapudi LIS could use this surplus to irrigate tail-end areas of the Nagarjunasagar left canal, allowing Krishna water to be used within Telangana. The next hearing is scheduled for May 14–16.