KWDT-II proceedings resume: Telangana challenges AP’s projection of Krishna Delta System water requirements

Senior Counsel CS Vaidyanathan highlighted the diversion arrangements from Polavaram and Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Schemes to the Prakasam Barrage at how they can be detrimental to the interests of Telangana State

Hyderabad: Resuming his arguments before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), chaired by Justice Brijesh Kumar, the Senior Counsel for Telangana, CS Vaidyanathan, on Tuesday highlighted the diversion arrangements from Polavaram and Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Schemes to the Prakasam Barrage, which serves the Krishna Delta System (KDS), at how they can be detrimental to the interests of the Telangana State.

He argued that the KDS water requirements could be met from additional sources, such as the diversion of 80 TMC from Polavaram, as outlined in the GWDT Award. The Tribunal, however, noted that the actual requirements presented by AP to earlier Tribunals exceeded 215 TMC, but the allocation made for it was only 151.2 TMC.

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In response, the counsel pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had previously declared to the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Water Resources’ Technical Advisory Committee that the Krishna Delta System’s needs were limited to 151.2 TMC. This was reiterated in Andhra Pradesh’s submissions to KWDT-II also. He submitted that after the diversion of 80 TMC from the Godavari, the additional requirement for the Krishna Delta system would come down to only 72 TMC.

The hearing also addressed Andhra Pradesh’s ambitious water diversion initiatives post-bifurcation. The projects, starting as the Godavari-Penna diversion scheme, were rebranded as the YSR Palnadu Scheme and now form the Polavaram-Banakacherla Link Scheme. Key components of these diversion initiatives include the Polavaram Right Main Canal (RMC), the proposed Vaikuntapuram barrage upstream of Prakasam Barrage, and the Nagarjunasagar Right Main Canal.

The Senior Counsel noted that the Polavaram Right Main Canal (RMC) could currently divert over 17,000 cusecs, equivalent to 1.5 TMC a day. The initial Detailed Project Report (DPR) approved by GWDT allowed for 10,000 cusecs; the system can now handle up to 135 TMC over 90 days, with further expansion works underway.

The Tribunal proceedings, set to continue for two more days, included key representatives.