Krishna water sharing: No headway in installation of telemetries even at the height conflict

The KRMB has planned for installation of nine more telemetry systems for stepping up the monitoring mechanism under the two joint projects - Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar.

Hyderabad: Even as the sharing of the Krishna water between the two Telugu States is becoming a challenging task, the plans to put in place a robust monitoring mechanism to help minimise the conflict did not make any headway for years. Both states have been fighting legal battle for their due. But the ambiguity over the amount of water each one of them is availing still persists.

The cash- strapped Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has drawn a blank in the implementation of its plans install telemetry systems proposed in the second phase. The telemetry system is a crucial water management tool as it facilitates real-time access to water data, even in remote locations.

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The KRMB has planned for installation of nine more telemetry systems for stepping up the monitoring mechanism under the two joint projects – Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar. It has successfully obtained concurrence from the riparian states for installing them as it would help avoid conflict claims in water utlisation.

Telangana state in fact wanted the KRMB to speed up the process for installing the telemetries in view of the raw deal being meted out to it in water sharing year after year. But some officials in the river management board did not show much interest. There was demand from the state for the relocation of a few existing telemetries.

In the ninth meeting of the board, it was decided to install side-looking Current Profilers under Phase 2. In the same meeting it was also decided to relocate seven of the 1q8 telemetry stations installed under Phase- I. The new telemetry system were proposed to be installed at KC Canal off take point at Sunkesula barrage, SLBC ( KM12.265 km) of the Srisailam Right Main canal of the Pothireddypadu head regulators.

In addition to this, telemetries were proposed also at Nagarjuna Sagar Right Bank canal (at 2.4 km), NSP Left Bank Canal (10-123 km), Palair reservoir, at AP Telengana border point on 21 st main branch canal of the NSP, Polavaram canal confluence, east main canal and west main canal of the Prakasham barrage.

The implementation of the second phase telemetries required an outlay of Rs 4.85 crore remained a non starter. Being low on funds, the KRMB is struggling to meet the expenditure on salaries of the staff. The installation of telemetries has been placed on the back burner for now.