Telangana has requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with two new lift irrigation schemes based on Veligonda Lift Irrigation Project in violation of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-I) Award and the provisions of A.P. Reorganisation Act.
Citing reports that the A.P. government had given administrative approval for two new lift irrigation schemes — Velagalapaya Loya and Papinenipally Loya — to create irrigation potential in Ardhaveedu mandal of Giddalur constituency in Prakasam district with an estimated cost of ₹51.16 crore.
In a letter addressed to Chairman of the KRMB, Engineer-in-Chief (General) of Telangana stated that A.P. had given administrative nod for the two new lift irrigation schemes based on proposals from the Chief Engineer concerned sent to that State government in 2020 and 2021. The approval was given for construction of an approach channel and pump-house for the two lifts separately.
The Telangana ENC has brought to the notice of KRMB Chairman that the two lifts would be expansion of Veligonda project by diverting Krishna water from Srisailam reservoir to the areas outside the basin without appraisal by the river board and approval of the Apex Council. He mentioned that Chief Minister of Telangana had written to the Union Minister of Jal Shakti in October 2020 seeking immediate and effective action to stop diversion of Krishna water from Srisailam reservoir by A.P.
Further, the ENC pointed out that during the second Apex Council meeting held in October 2020 the Union Minister had stated that inter-basin transfer of water could taken up only after fulfilling the needs of the in-basin areas first. In his letter addressed to A.P. in January 2021, the MoJS had directed it not to go ahead with any of the activities of awarding, construction and implementation of new projects until the detailed project reports were appraised and approved by the river board and Apex Council, respectively.
However, A.P. was ignoring the directions of MoJS and going ahead with execution of the expansion works of projects which were based on surplus water and had no allocation, the Telangana ENC said in his letter. The surplus water based projects of A.P. ,including Veligonda, would be detrimental to the interests of in-basin projects of Telangana serving the acute drought-prone and fluoride-affected areas apart from settled ayacut of Nagarjunasagar and drinking needs.
Further, he pointed out that 85% of the culturable areas in combined Mahabubnagar and Rangareddy districts lying within the basin were reeling without assured water supply even for drinking needs and urged the river board to stop A.P. from going ahead with the new lift irrigation schemes.
