Telangana stands chance to gain in Krishna water sharing, thanks to decade-long advocacy

Telangana has been advocating for an equitable share of Krishna River waters since the State's bifurcation. The State's hope of securing a larger share of the river water owed to a decade-long effort. The sharing of Krishna River waters is currently based on an ad hoc arrangement agreed upon by both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, pending the final award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II.

Hyderabad: Thanks to the fresh terms of reference given to the KWDT-II and the State’s strategic advocacy over the last 10 years, Telangana stands a considerable chance of achieving a more equitable water distribution, potentially benefiting the State for years to come.

Telangana has been advocating for an equitable share of Krishna River waters since the State’s bifurcation. The State’s hope of securing a larger share of the river water owed to a decade-long effort. The sharing of Krishna River waters is currently based on an ad hoc arrangement agreed upon by both Andhra Pradesh (AP) and Telangana, pending the final award of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II.

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Approximately 70 percent of the Krishna River basin lies within Telangana, while the remaining 30 percent is in Andhra Pradesh. Telangana argues that water allocation should be proportional to the river basin area. The State has made it clear that it will no longer agree to the 34:66 percent water sharing ratio that was a working arrangement since State bifurcation. Practically, Telangana could not even get that 34 percent. At one point of time, the State had insisted on at least a 50:50 share of Krishna River water between the two States. Of late, the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal – II was empowered by the fresh terms of reference to adjudicate the water sharing issues.

The State government has already prepared the ground to present these facts to ensure that Telangana gets 70 percent of the water share out of the 1,005 TMC of available water from river Krishna. The State’s approach hinges on internationally recognized water-sharing principles, which suggest that allocation should reflect the proportion of the river basin within each State.

According to international water principles, water allocation is to be made in proportion to the area covered by the State under the basin. While 70 percent of the Krishna basin area is located in Telangana, AP covers only 30 percent.

The tribunal, established under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, is responsible for deciding water sharing between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Experts suggest that even a 50:50 sharing would not benefit Telangana significantly. Telangana’s advantage is that its entire requirement is meant for meeting in-basin needs, while AP has been taking the water far beyond the basin, benefiting even the Penna basin.

The improved water availability in the Penna basin and enhanced storage capacity have bolstered Telangana’s case. The State’s efforts are not just about securing more water but ensuring sustainable management and fair distribution to meet the needs of its population. The water availability in the Penna basin has improved by 45 to 50 TMC annually compared to the condition during the KWDT-I, attributed to the impact of climate change.

Even the storage capacity of the Rayalaseema projects have been enhanced significantly. Now, the region is no longer at the receiving end and is much better compared to many of the upland stretches in Telangana, officials point out.