Water row between AP, TG likely to escalate over Nagarjuna Sagar RMC

With the neighbouring State preparing to convert the RMC head regulator into another Pothireddypadu, it is feared that Telangana will yet again be deprived of its rightful share of Krishna waters

Hyderabad: The concerns being raised by Telangana about the Godavari-Banakacharla project proposed by Andhra Pradesh have gained credibility.

Andhra Pradesh is preparing to convert the Nagarjuna Sagar Right Main Canal (RMC) head regulator into yet another Pothireddypadu head regulator, which has been diverting a major share of water from the Srisailam project, depriving Telangana of its rightful share. This is likely to intensify the ongoing water disputes due to the inclusion of this NSP component.
The Godavari-Banakacharla project is not limited to drawing Godavari water to Krishna and lifting it from a 17-metre level to a 144-metre level in five stages.

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The project also aims at supplementing the existing Nagarjuna Sagar Right Canal ayacut downstream of the 80th km, catering to the irrigation needs of 9.61 lakh acres and providing a reliable water source for the existing drinking water supply scheme for a population of 40.3 lakh and 670 summer storage tanks.

The NSP right main canal is also proposed to be widened up to km 96.50, from where water is proposed to be lifted to Bollapalli reservoir, which would retain carry-over storage for use during the lean season.

It was claimed that storing water under this mechanism would be economically cheaper compared to transferring it from the Polavaram dam. Hence, Bollapalli reservoir would store the surplus water diverted from the Godavari and the water lifted from the Nagarjuna Sagar Right Canal. As the tail-end State of both the Godavari and the Krishna basins, Andhra Pradesh claims the right to use the floodwaters which would otherwise flow into the sea.

From the 80th km of the NSP Right Main Canal, the water would be transported by widening the right main canal for a 16.5 km stretch, and thereafter lifting water from 142 m to 220 m through the Stage 6 lift to be dropped into Bollapalli reservoir via a pipeline of approximately 1.2 km and a tunnel of 1.2 km.

Andhra Pradesh claims that some 4,753 TMC of surplus water was released from its Prakasam Barrage from 2019 to 2024 into the sea as it could not be harnessed upstream. The Krishna River receives heavy inflows during good monsoon years, as experienced over the years. In 2024 alone, over 846 TMC was let off into the sea from Prakasam Barrage.

Both the Nagarjuna Sagar Right Main Canal (meant exclusively for Andhra Pradesh) and Nagarjuna Sagar Left Main Canal (meant for meeting the needs of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh) were designed to carry over 11,000 cusecs each, facilitating the drawl of close to one TMC each a day.

However, Telangana could seldom draw water to the designed capacity due to structural issues resulting in frequent canal breaches. The canal developed breaches this year at two places. Once the NSP Right Main Canal drawl capacity is enhanced, it is feared that it would be at the cost of Telangana’s entitlement.

Pothireddypadu: The Bane of Telangana

The initial drawl capacity of the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator was only 11,150 cusecs, but it was expanded to over 55,000 cusecs in 2006, allowing for a greater volume of water to be diverted for irrigation and drinking purposes. /Andhra Pradesh has been keen on enhancing the drawl scope further to 80,000 cusecs to 1 lakh cusecs, much against the wishes of Telangana.

The same thing may happen to NSP right main canal too, fear the water experts from Telangana.