As a major departure from the ad hoc water sharing arrangement laid down nine years ago, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) on Wednesday proposed need-based water sharing between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. As of June 1, the interim pattern proposed by it will apply for the first months of the new water year.
In its meeting here on Wednesday, the board decided to seek the intervention of the Jal Shakti Ministry in order to reach an agreement on water sharing that would be acceptable to both states. A three-member committee comprised of the Board’s Member Secretary and the engineers-in-chief of the two States will monitor water sharing based on indents submitted by each State and water availability.
Telangana has been asking for water sharing at 50:50 ratio by scrapping the ad hoc arrangement that allocated 66 percent of assured water to Andhra and 34 percent to Telangana.
However, Andhra Pradesh did not want to change the current system of sharing until the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal delivered its final award. Telangana officials sought permission to use 50 percent of the 811 TMC allocated to the undivided state. The 66:34 ratio sharing between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would no longer be acceptable, Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar told reporters after the meeting.
When Telangana was created, it was avowed that it would address the unfair water sharing treatment it had been subjected to. It would be against its interests to continue with the same water sharing arrangement, he said, pointing out that Telangana should support its in-basin projects on priority while projects like SLBC, Kalwakurthy and Nettempadu have become operational, requiring an additional 105 TMC of water.
Also last year, the State made its position clear to the KRMB. Board members took note of its demands as a note of dissent. At the appropriate time, AP’s objections to other projects will be addressed in the appropriate fora. In regard to Sunkishala, he said the water being drawn was meant for Hyderabad’s drinking water supply and no further consent was required.
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