KRMB sits on Telangana’s demand for telemetry systems

The telemetry systems are expected to help provide real time data of the inflows and outflows, especially the drawals being made by the riparian States

Hyderabad: The implementation of the telemetry system, announced by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) way back in 2017, is yet to make any headway.

The riparian States, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have often been finding themselves at loggerheads because of issues over water sharing popping up in one form or the other. The telemetry systems are expected to help provide real time data of the inflows and outflows, especially the drawals being made by the riparian States.

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However, the initiative could not see significant progress over the years, with the KRMB reportedly citing shortage of funds for the purpose. Installation of telemetries at some spots considered to be crucial has not happened even after years.

Telangana has for quite some time been insisting the KRMB for establishing telemetries downstream of the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator. But the KRMB has been holding on that the State’s request can wait for consideration.

Telangana wanted installation of telemetries at all the outlets of Banakacherla Cross Regulator, the off take point of Chennamukkapally besides the outlets of the Poondi and Kandaleru reservoirs. However, the Board has not responded positively to the plea citing paucity of funds as the main cause for putting off the implementation of such proposals.

As per the interstate agreements of 1976 and 1977, the riparian States had to ensure supply of 15 TMC of water from Srisailam Reservoir to Chennai for drinking water supply.

The water was to be conveyed through an open lined channel designed to carry a discharge not exceeding 1500 cusecs from Srisailam project to Penna.

But in violation of the spirit of the agreement, the erstwhile government of Andhra Pradesh had located the off take point for the purpose at Chennamukkapally, 175 km away from Srisailam reservoir.

In a letter addressed to the KRMB chairman, the Irrigation in Chief (General) C Muralidhar pointed out that in the pretext of giving water to Chennai, some 175 km stretch of channel was constructed with a discharge capacity of 11,150 cusecs connecting Srisailam project with Chennamukkapally and only a three km stretch connecting Chennamukkapally point with Penna was constructed with a discharge of 1500 cusecs. He contended that Chennamukkapally cannot be treated as the off take point. There is no account of the quantum of water reaching Penna en route to Chennai and of the water being used for irrigation from the same source. In this backdrop, he wanted installation of sensor-based real time data acquisition system all along Pothireddypadu Head Regulator.

The KRMB chairman informed the Board at its last meeting that as on date, no funds were available even for Phase II installation of 9 telemetry stations which were approved way back in 2018.

Installation of telemetry systems at the new places as sought by Telangana would be discussed when Phase III of telemetry was taken up.

TS Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar and AP Principal Secretary (Water Resources Development) Sashibhushan Kumar had assured the KRMB that requirement of funds would be met accordingly for implementing the telemetry system.