TS urge Tungabhadra Board to stop AP from drawing excess water from Krishna

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Saturday charged Andhra Pradesh with illegally drawing excess water from the Krishna River for KC Canal at the Srisailam Reservoir and urged Tungabhadra Board Secretary to direct former to stop the violation. In a letter written to the Tungabhadra Board Secretary, Telangana Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar brought to the notice of […]

Hyderabad: The Telangana government on Saturday charged Andhra Pradesh with illegally drawing excess water from the Krishna River for KC Canal at the Srisailam Reservoir and urged Tungabhadra Board Secretary to direct former to stop the violation.

In a letter written to the Tungabhadra Board Secretary, Telangana Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar brought to the notice of the secretary that the Andhra Pradesh was drawing 50 TMC to KC Canal against the permitted limit of 31.9 TMC. He stated that the Andhra Pradesh was drawing excess water from Malyala pumping station-I of Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi(HNSS) project, Muchmmari pumping station of HNSS, Muchummari KC Canal Lift Irrigation Scheme and from Escape channel at Banakacherla cross regulator on downstream of Pothireddypadu Head Regulator, in addition to drawals from Tungabhadra reservoir at Sunkesula.

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Besides, the Andhra Pradesh was swapping its share of regulated releases to KC Canal from Tungabhaadra Dam.

Muralidhar stated that Andhra Pradesh’s action was against the spirit of Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-I) as the excess drawals would be affecting the flows to Telangana. He further stated that the Andhra Pradesh was obstructing the modernisation of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme(RDS) Anicut, by allowing water to flow down to KC Canal resulting in non-realisation of RDS allocation. He pointed out that the Telangana part of RDS was releasing only 5 TMC on an average against its allocation of 15.9 TMC.

He informed the secretary that the swapping of large quantity of Tungabhdra and Krishna waters was resulting in the reduction of river flows at the RDS anicut severely. He stated that the decision of the Tungabhadra Board regarding percentage of sharing of budget and expenditure of RDS would be shared in the ratio of the quantities of the water allocated for use by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh was against the spirit of KWDT-I award and is not acceptable to Telangana. He urged the Board to modify the decision.