Telangana objects to AP’s Chitravathi project

Hyderabad: The State government has requested Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from taking up Chitravathi pumped storage hydel power scheme and other schemes linked with Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) and Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) projects, which draw water from Srisailam reservoir, without appraisal by the Board and approval of […]

Hyderabad: The State government has requested Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from taking up Chitravathi pumped storage hydel power scheme and other schemes linked with Galeru Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) and Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) projects, which draw water from Srisailam reservoir, without appraisal by the Board and approval of Apex Council as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA)- 2014.

In a letter to Board Chairman, Telangana Irrigation Engineer-in-Chief (General), Command Area Development (CAD), C Muralidhar requested the Board to bring the issue to the notice of Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) for taking necessary action urgently.
He said Telangana had requested KRMB to restrain AP from going ahead with Pinnapuram pumped storage hydel power project which is based on Krishna waters. So far, there is no response. However, to the utter dismay of Telangana, it is learnt that the work was still going on, he said.

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Further, it is learnt that there are four more pumped storage hydel projects – Gandikota (Kadapa), Chitravati (Ananthapuram), Somasila (Nellore) and Owk (Kurnool) in Penna basin, taken up by AP, which also issued a tender notice for upgradation of Gandikota-Chitravathi balancing reservoir lifts.

All the pumped storage schemes proposed by AP were linked with water diverted from Krishna river. From a deficit Krishna basin, diverting water to outside basin and utilising for hydel power generation is highly objectionable while the in-basin areas are starving for water.

Further, the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal I and II (KWDT-I & II) have observed that the water diverted to other basin return flows is totally loss to the basinş.

This hydroelectric project taken up by AP based on Chitravathi Balancing Reservoir (CBR) gets Krishna water from Gandikota reservoir through unauthorized Gandikota-Chitravathi Lift. Gandikota reservoir is part of GNSS project which draws water from Pothireddypadu Head Regulator (PRP) and Srisailam Right Main Canal (SRMC).

Telangana has written to KRMB on illegal expansion of PRP Head Regulator and SRMC and construction of escape regulator at Banakacharla. This project was taken up by AP in line with the construction of Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme and expansion of SRMC and Banakacherla Complex from 44,000 cusees to 80,000 cusecs, expansion of GNSS canal from 20,000 cusecs to 30,000 cusecs and upgradation of Gandikota – Chitravathi balancing reservoir.

From Srisailam reservoir, only 34TMC (15TMC for Chennai water supply and 19TMC for Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) were permitted to divert flood flows during July to October. AP proposed continuing pumped storage hydro-electric projects utilizing the water diverted from Krishna basin to Penna basin under GNSS and HNSS projects by depriving in basin needs. There is no allocation of water to GNSS and HNSS by KWDT-I.
The AP has not pleaded for dependable water allocation to these projects before KWDT-II.

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