Disparity continues in Krishna water sharing by Telangana and AP

Telangana has already made it clear that it will no longer agree to the 34:66 per cent water sharing ratio with Andhra Pradesh. Instead, the State is insisting on a 50:50 share of the Krishna river water between the two States

Hyderabad: The disparity in water sharing between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh continues to be a pressing issue concerning Krishna basin projects. Up to the first half of October, Telangana has been on the receiving end, struggling with poor drawls.

Despite the Nagarjuna Sagar dam receiving close to two lakh cusecs even today, with the flood flow being let off by lifting 20 flood gates, Telangana’s inability to fully utilize its stipulated share within the water year means it cannot carry forward any unutilized water to the next water year.

---

The incomplete Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and Dindi projects have left Telangana with limited scope to harness the flood flows into its reservoirs. Canal breaches further hinder the optimal utilization of its water share.

So far, Telangana has utilized only 37 TMC of Krishna River water (some 27 TMC from NSP and 10 TMC from Srisailam project, mainly to meet the drinking water needs) during the current water year, as against 85 TMC by Andhra Pradesh.

Much of Andhra Pradesh’s drawls were made through the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator for filling its reservoirs beyond the Krishna basin.

There are concerns that Andhra Pradesh’s drawls may be underreported due to the malfunctioning of telemetry systems installed at the Krishna basin projects and their outlets, forcing officials to rely on manual readings.

The replacement of these telemetry systems to address the conflicting water-sharing situation is high on the agenda but has been delayed due to financial constraints.

Many of the telemetries installed in both States are outdated and need newer versions of technology. All four telemetries at the Nagarjuna Sagar, including those on the right canal, left canal, and SLBC, have not provided accurate readings for a significant time, placing Telangana at a disadvantage.

As a result, Telangana is paying a high price for these discrepancies, highlighting the urgent need for technological upgrades and accurate monitoring systems to ensure fair water sharing between the states.

A team from the Central Water Commission (CWC) visited the telemetries at the NSP and Srisailam outlets and took stock of their functioning.

The State irrigation authorities are planning to make a strong case about the inaccuracy of the telemetry readings at the upcoming Krishna River Management Board meeting scheduled for October 23 while seeking further clarity on the status of its share of water saved through measures aimed at judicious utilization.

Telangana has already made it clear that it will no longer agree to the 34:66 per cent water sharing ratio with Andhra Pradesh. Instead, the State is insisting on a 50:50 share of the Krishna river water between the two States.

Despite this strong stance, the water utilized by Telangana so far this year remains significantly below its stipulated share. This disparity has been a point of contention, with Telangana emphasizing the need for equitable distribution to meet its agricultural and drinking water needs.