KRMB Fails To Settle AP-TS Water Dispute

The Krishna River Board Management (KRMB) yet again failed to arrive at an amicable solution for the distribution of 137 tmc-ft of Krishna river water between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh available in the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs.

KRMB Member Secretary Sameer Chatterjee held discussions with the irrigation and water officials of AP and Telangana separately earlier this week to reach a solution and satisfy both the States.

It was pointed out in the meeting that against the availability of 137 tmc-ft water in the two major reservoirs, and in the Pulichintala reservoir, which is still under construction, the two riparian States presented indents for 213 tmc-ft, including for potability (drinking water).

In the board meeting held on November 30, AP sought 110 tmc-ft while Telangana demanded 100 tmc-ft.

AP argued that it should be allotted at least 100 tmc-ft from the available water, while the remaining 30 tmc-ft should be given to Telangana since it (Telangana) had already utilised 89 tmc-ft water through minor irrigation sources and with the help of excess rainfall during Monsoon. Telangana however rebuked it by stating that the total storage capacity of minor irrigation sources in the Krishna bases in its limits was only 29 tmc-ft, and was physically impossible to utilize 89 tmc-ft.

"Even if the available water were to be shared in the proportions suggested by the Bachawat tribunal award, Telangana would get 50 tmc-ft (36.5%) against AP's 87 tmc-ft (63.5%). But, we have demanded an allocation of at least 73 tmc-ft since AP utilised more water from Pothireddypadu and Malyala and also diverted another 52 tmc-ft water from Godavari through the Pattiseema lift irrigation project," a senior official representing Telangana said.

In the absence of a proper mechanism to calculate the utilisation of water by the two States from contentious locations - Jurala project in the Mahabubnagar district of Telangana, and the Pothireddypadu regulator and the Handri-Neeva project both in Kurnool district of AP, the Board is unable to strike a deal agreeable to both the two States.

Both AP and Telangana, at the moment, seem unrelenting in their demands. The problem persists depsite the Centre's "successful" intervention in September.