The Telangana government, which has refused to accept the Krishna River water-sharing arrangement between Andhra Pradesh and the State in the ratio of 66:34 for the year 2022-23, has decided to maintain its demand of a 50:50 ratio at the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) meeting later this month.
According to Telangana irrigation officials, the State government has lodged a strong protest with the Centre regarding the continuation of the Krishna river water-sharing arrangement between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the ratio of 66:34 for the year 2022-23. The Telangana government was ‘highly disappointed’ because, despite raising the issue at several KRMB meetings, the board had continued to maintain the water sharing ratio of 66:34 for the previous seven years.
Given the 105 TMC requirement for three operational projects — Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC), Kalwakurthy LIS, and Nettempadu LIS — officials believe that water distribution should be 50:50 for the current water year. The KRMB has been making ad hoc water-sharing arrangements between AP and Telangana on an annual basis, and this was fixed in the ratio of 512:299 tmc ft (AP: TS) in 2015, which was then marginally revised to 66:34 ratio in 2017.
As per the officials, the 66:34 ratio was made just for one year, and Telangana agreed to it with an understanding that the Centre would make fair allocations by referring the matter to the KRMB, but the latter continued the arrangement and refused to consider the demand of 50:50 ratio of Telangana.
“By not considering the demand of the Telangana government, the board is depriving it of the rightful share of the water,” a senior official said.
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Under protest, Telangana agreed to a water sharing ratio of 66:34 during 2021-22, subject to the condition that Andhra not divert more than 34 TMC from Srisailam reservoir, but despite the request, KRMB allowed Andhra Pradesh to draw waters far in excess of their legitimate claim of 34 TMC, the official stated.
Interestingly, while Telangana refused to accept the 66:34 water-sharing ratio, Andhra Pradesh went ahead and demanded that the KRMB change the water-sharing ratio to 70:30, which the board declined.
Apart from arguing for 50:50 water sharing, Telangana officials will argue that water not used in one water year should be allowed to be used in the following year, that only 20% of the water used for Hyderabad’s drinking water needs should be taken into account, and that real-time data sensors (Telemetry) should be installed to accurately calculate the consumption of water released from Krishna Projects and the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme.
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