Excess drawal of water from Srisailam, not allowing Andhra Pradesh authorities to draw the water from Nagarjunasagar Project (NSP), alleged unauthorised control over the Andhra Pradesh territories on NSP are some of the major objections being raised by the Andhra Pradesh government, over the Krishna river water sharing issue. The AP government claims that it is left with no option, except taking its legitimate territory into its control at the NSP on Krishna river.
As Andhra Pradesh government deployed police forces at the NSP, the Union government initiated dispute resolution machanism on Friday. At this juncture, the debate on the inter-State river water sharing became a hot topic in both the States, particularly over the Krishna river.
The centre line of river Krishna forms boundary line of both the States, as per the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. The NSP is constructed across river Krishna and the left flank lies in Telangana territory and right flank in Andhra Pradesh.
The Left Main Canal serves 6.57 lakh acres of ayacut in two erstwhile Khammam and Nalgonda districts of Telangana and 3.82 Lakh acres of ayacut in two erstwhile Krishna and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, besides catering drinking water needs with contemplated utilisation of 132 tmcft.
The Right Main Canal located in Andhra Pradesh serves an ayacut of 11.17 lakh acres, besides catering drinking water needs in two erstwhile Guntur and Prakasam districts. The main power house is located on the Left flank in Telangana territory.
“Though the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of Srisailam reservoir is looked after by Andhra Pradesh, the control of left power house is taken over by the Telangana, without handing over the same to Andhra Pradesh”, Ambati Rambabu, Minister for Water Resources, told The Hindu.
He alleged that Telangana was operating left power house, unilaterally drawing water from reservoir at its whims and fancies exclusively for power generation without any indents for drinking and irrigation needs on downstream side and proper water release orders by KRMB, which was adversely affecting impounding levels of the reservoir and disabling Andhra Pradesh to draw water at Pothireddypadu Head Regulator to meet drinking water needs of Chennai city and drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
In spite of repeated requests by Andhra Pradesh, the KRMB, and the Ministry of Jal Sakti, GoI, Telengana was resorting to unauthorised drawals time and again, Mr. Rambabu alleged.
The Minister said that though the Right Head Sluice of NSP was in the territory of A.P., Telangana took control of the same and established four check-posts manned by their security forces and was not allowing the officers of Andhra Pradesh, denying access to the right head sluice though it lies in the territory of Andhra Pradesh.
Power connections to operate sluice gates of Right main Canal which were charged from Andhra Pradesh Transco authorities were unauthorisedly disconnected by Telangana and connected to TS Transco on left side, he added.
He said that Andhra Pradesh agreed for handing over of its six outlets of both projects, expressed readiness to hand over the Irrigation and power outlets to KRMB, provided that Telangana also came forward to hand over its 9 outlets. In spite of repeated requests, Telangana did not agree to transfer their components to KRMB, he said.
It was heartening to say that in spite of KRMB instructions to Telangana not to utilise water for to power generation, the State resorted for power generation at Srisailam. It disabled Andhra Pradesh from drawing its allocated 30 tmcft and restricted to 13 tmcft, he added.
Telangana was drawing water from the NSP left main canal and disallowing Andhra Pradesh draw water to the Right main canal, he added.
