KRMB meet: Telangana protests continued injustice in Krishna water sharing with AP

Against the 66:34 water-sharing ratio, Telangana officials demanded a 71 percent share for the State citing its 71 percent catchment area

Hyderabad: The stand-off between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the sharing of Krishna River water once again took centre stage at the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) meeting here on Tuesday. Telangana lodged a strong protest against what it described as continued injustice in the 66:34 water-sharing ratio between AP and Telangana.

Telangana officials demanded a 71 percent share for the State, citing its 71 percent catchment area. They proposed an interim 50:50 sharing ratio until a final decision could be reached.

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However, the board’s response was not favorable as they were met with stiff opposition from AP. The board officials assured both the States of meeting their water needs depending on the availability.

Telangana’s Principal Secretary for Irrigation Rahul Bojja and ENC General Anil Kumar specifically demanded the withdrawal of CRPF forces deployed at the Nagarjuna Sagar project site.

This follows an incident on October 28, 2023, which saw clashes between officials and security forces from both Telugu States, resulting in the occupation of 13 crest gates and the NSP Right Main Canal Head Regulator by Andhra Pradesh.

The board’s response did not offer any immediate resolution to this demand. Telangana officials insisted on the rehabilitation of the Srisailam project, addressing all structural issues while emphasising that the project continued to be under the operational control of AP.

They also demanded the installation of a telemetry system at 11 new locations to ensure regular monitoring of water withdrawals by both States from Krishna basin projects and their outlets. The meeting was chaired by KRMB chairman Atul Jain.