Water woes. Krishna water issue: Telangana to oppose Rayalaseema lift irrigation project

Telangana has decided to oppose the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme of Andhra Pradesh, which lifts water for Potireddypadu canal, on the ground that it is being illegally constructed on Krishna river without any environment clearance and without water allocation.

And, AP has been oppossing Telangana moves to generate power from Krishna river-based power projects at Srisailam, Jurala.

This decision comes in the backdrop of the recent flare up between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the Krishna river water usage and a meeting by Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, has late on Saturday, wherein it was resolved to oppose the project as it was violative of water allocation between two Telugu states.

It resolved that the three-member Committee meeting of the Krishna River Management Board scheduled on July 9 should be canceled and full level board meeting convened after July 20 to raise Telangana concerns.

The meeting rejected the 66:34 ratio so far continuing on Krishna waters between AP and Telangana states. The meeting resolved that the ratio should be 50:50 water allocations from this year onwards. Till the Tribunal makes the final allocation, the meeting proposed that Telangana and AP State should share 811 TMC of water, 405.5 TMC each from the assured waters.

KCR also decided that in accordance with the State cabinet decision, power generation will continue at Jurala, Pulichintala, Srisailam, and Nagarjuna Sagar, a matter which is being opposed by his counterpart in AP.

The meeting declared that KRMB has no right to stop the power generation and that there are no agreements between the two states on Hydel Power generation.

The meeting reiterated that Telangana lawfully seeking to fulfil its needs to lift water for irrigation, to supply drinking water to Hyderabad and for the drinking water purposes through Mission Bhagiratha Scheme. The hydel power being generated is well within the law.

The meeting has also resolved to generate 51 per cent clean energy as recommended by the Centre and to implement the Centre’s guidelines through generation of the Hydel power.

KCR instructed the officials concerned to generate continuous power from Srisailam, Pulichintala, and Jurala hydelpower generation plants. The CM made it abundantly clear that to safe guard the interests of farmers and the farm sector, the government would face any obstacles and problems.

He expressed anger over non-allocation water in Krishna River to the State despite constitution of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal 17 years ago. The CM also made it clear that if need be, the state is ready to fight with the Centre in this regard.

The CM recalled how Telangana had discussions with Maharastra and constructing the Kaleswaram project without causing any problem. n similar way, a friendly hand was extended to the AP. But yet the AP government turned a deaf year ear, which is unfortunate, he said.

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