Inchampalli water diversion: Costly compromise threatens Telangana’s water sovereignty

Telangana faces renewed concerns over water sovereignty following the NWDA’s 6th consultation on interlinking rivers. Activists and experts warn this undermines Telangana’s rights under APRA 2014, risking its agrarian future and control over seasonal flows.

Hyderabad: In Telangana’s arid heartlands, where districts like Mahabubnagar and Adilabad have endured relentless drought and historical neglect in the undivided State, water is not just a resource. It’s the lifeblood of the State’s fight for justice and survival.

For decades, Telangana has fought for fair shares of the Godavari and Krishna river basins, as outlined in the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal Award (GWDTA), Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal Award (KWDT), and the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) of 2014. Yet, a stark reality emerged at the NWDA’s 6th consultation meeting held at Jal Soudha on the interlinking of rivers.

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Compromises made at the meeting threaten to erode Telangana’s hard-won water sovereignty, turning shared rivers into tools of unequal diversion. The Phase-I proposal for the Godavari-Cauvery Link envisions diverting a staggering 148 TMC from the Inchampalli project on the Godavari, with an additional 18.5 TMC from the Bedti-Varada Link.

On the surface, it appears to be intended to cater to the needs of water-deficient States. But for Telangana, the riparian guardian of the upstream waters, it is a veiled assault. The State government has, in principle, accepted the proposal on terms that remain unaddressed by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA).

Ignoring the plight of farmers in water-starved districts and backward regions, and the growing urban demands for drinking water, the current State government has agreed to a mere 45 TMC of the 148 TMC diversion, far short of the 50% (74 TMC) it deserves. As river water experts put it, this is no minor oversight, it is a direct compromise on the state’s water sovereignty.

Why should Telangana, bearing the brunt of environmental and hydrological impacts, suffer scarcity conditions for the sake of distant basins? In a State where over 70% of cultivable land remains unirrigated, “this allocation mocks the spirit of federal equity and ignores the state’s rights under APRA 2014.”

The Telangana government has given its consent with conditions to expedite clearances for pending projects utilising 968 TMC of assured waters, secure Chhattisgarh’s nod for tapping its unutilised share, and prioritize the State’s 152.17 TMC needs, including 38.16 TMC for Devadula, 46.96 TMC for Sammakka Sagar, and 67.05 TMC for the Integrated Seethamma Sagar and Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project.

Besides this, Telangana has insisted on integrated simulation studies to protect downstream structures like the Sammakka Sagar barrage, ensuring no operational disruptions. Beyond the 74 TMC of assured waters, the State demanded permission to harness 200 TMC of flood waters for drinking and irrigation in its parched districts. But flood waters are a natural bounty, not a national free-for-all.

Denying Telangana this right would hand over control of the state’s seasonal flows to downstream States, undermining the State’s autonomous management of water resources, said water rights activists.