Water wars return as Telangana, Andhra face twin river board tests over next week
Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are set for fresh disputes over Krishna and Godavari waters, with KRMB and GRMB meetings scheduled this month. Reservoir levels, project operations, water releases and pending project permissions are expected to dominate discussions between the two States
Hyderabad: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are heading for fresh confrontations over Krishna and Godavari river waters, with crucial meetings of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) scheduled on August 13 and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) on August 18. Significantly, both meetings are being held amid a difficult water year and the lingering impact of El Nino.
The immediate contest is over reservoir releases and project operations. The larger battle is over control of the two rivers and the terms of their future use.
Telangana also faces a problem of its own. Despite heavy inflows into both Krishna and Godavari basins, the Congress government did not act swiftly to lift and store adequate quantities during the initial phase of the monsoon. That delayed response has narrowed its options as irrigation demand rose. What was lost during the high-inflow period could now translate into tighter water availability later in the season.
The KRMB meeting on August 13 will take up the availability and utilisation of water in the common Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs and the irrigation requirements of both States. Telangana is expected to press for releases from Srisailam into Nagarjuna Sagar to meet the requirements of farmers dependent on the Sagar Left Canal, particularly in old Nalgonda, Khammam and Mahabubnagar districts.
The timing is critical. Srisailam has 118.62 TMCft against its 225 TMCft of storage capacity, with the water level at 863.9 feet, while Nagarjuna Sagar has around 150 TMCft against its 312.05 TMCft capacity. Telangana officials pointed out that adequate withdrawal from Sagar at its present level would be difficult.
Telangana has alleged that Andhra Pradesh is drawing available water from Srisailam through the Pothireddypadu head regulator before substantial flows reach Nagarjuna Sagar. The issue is expected to be raised at the KRMB meeting.
Under these circumstances, Telangana is likely to seek continued hydropower generation at Srisailam and release of the water into Nagarjuna Sagar. Any restrictions on releases could affect both irrigation availability and Andhra Pradesh’s ability to divert water through Pothireddypadu.
The GRMB meeting on August 18 will shift the battleground to the Godavari. Its agenda includes a review of permissions relating to certain Telangana projects. The BRS has objected and argued that projects such as Kaleshwaram, Sitarama and Chanaka-Korata, which have already secured approvals, should not be subjected to another review in a manner that could hurt Telangana’s interests and also challenge the validity of existing projects and their allocations across the country.
The government has rejected the charge, maintaining that such agenda items have figured in earlier GRMB meetings and that Telangana’s interests will be protected.
Andhra Pradesh’s efforts to press its case before the Centre and the river boards will add another layer to the contest. Meanwhile, Telangana will have to defend its water claims with timely project planning, firm water accounting and a clear operational strategy. Uneven rainfall, stressed reservoir storages and rising irrigation requirements leave Telangana with little room for strategic delay.
