Legal battle over Krishna water sharing enters crucial phase

While Telangana insisted on 954.9 tmc, AP pegged its requirement at 1144 tmc.

Hyderabad: The legal battle over the sharing of Krishna river waters between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh has entered a crucial phase with both sides presenting their statements of case before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-2 chaired by Justice Brijesh Kumar. Both the States have indicated a total requirement of 2099 tmc.

While Telangana insisted on 954.9 tmc, AP pegged its requirement at 1144 tmc. Telangana, which has been making a strong case of the injustice meted out to it with the ad hoc arrangement of sharing, has pleaded that its share of water should not be less than 555 tmc out of the total availability that has been projected at 1004 tmc.

---

The State has often made it clear that it was entitled for 70.8 tmc based on the extent of catchment that is largely spread over the State, cultivable area and the vulnerability to drought conditions and the population. But it was allotted only 34 per cent (or 299 tmc) as against 66 per cent (or 512 tmc) to AP from the en block allocation of 811 tmc given to erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

The State also insisted allocation of 45 tmc in lieu of Godavari water diverted by AP to the Krishna Basin as in terms of the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal award. The State also urged the Tribunal to restrict allocations to projects serving outside the basin to a single crop of irrigated dry. It also pleaded for according priority to in-basin projects and restraining water being diverted outside the basin to projects that were taken up after 1976.

Indicating its gross requirements, the State had sought allocation of 301.54 tmc for existing projects, 238.4 tmc for the ongoing projects and 216.5 tmc for projects contemplated by it. Telangana contended that Andhra Pradesh could save up to 292 tmc of water from its total allocation of 512 tmc and urged the Tribunal to allocate this saved water from AP to Telangana’s ongoing projects.