Don't Drag Us In Between Your Disputes With AP, KRMB Tells Telangana
The KRMB letter came even as the two states finally stopped power generation at Srisailam, AP at its right bank hydel station, and Telangana at its left bank hydel station on Wednesday.
Hyderabad: Apparently vexed with constant complaints that each state was lodging against the other over the use of Krishna river water, the Krishna River Management Board threw up its hands and asked Andhra Pradesh and Telangana to sort issues between themselves “through mutual co-operation within the existing Tribunal framework.”
The trigger for the KRMB appeared to be a letter from Telangana on March 25 asking the board to instruct AP to stop drawal of water from Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs, and to ensure that AP stopped power generation at its Srisailam right bank hydel power station. Andhra Pradesh had lodged several complaints with KRMB alleging misuse of share of Krishna water by Telangana in the past.
Though the board is expected to oversee the use of the river water by both states, it said in its letter dated March 30 to AP and Telangana irrigation departments, that the board and its secretariat have some “fundamental limitations” and the two states should sort issues out between themselves under the framework of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I (KWDT-I), until project-wise allocation and operational protocols are determined by the tribunal and jurisdictional arrangements are settled under AP Reorganisation Act of 2014.
Incidentally, all operational costs of the KRMB including salaries to the board members and employees in its secretariat, are paid for by the two states and one of the primary tasks of the board is to ensure the two states are maintaining their water sharing arrangements.
Telangana, in its last letter, had complained that excessive drawals by AP and use of water for hydel generation were resulting in falling levels at Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar. Telangana said water used by AP as on March 20 this year was 738.250 tmc ft while Telangana used 230.760 tmc ft, and that AP had drawn an excess of 71.436 tmc ft over its entitlement. Telangana said this excessive usage by AP was taken to KRMB’s notice “from time to time” but AP did not stop its drawals and this will impact Telangana’s drinking water and irrigation needs.
The KRMB letter came even as the two states finally stopped power generation at Srisailam, AP at its right bank hydel station, and Telangana at its left bank hydel station on Wednesday.
Telangana minister Jupally Krishna Rao too earlier on Tuesday said that the water level at Srisailam fell to 824 feet against the minimum drawdown level of 834 feet and complained that AP was in the habit of repeated violations of water sharing agreement between the two states, in complete disregard to Telangana’s legitimate share and needs.
