Telangana has been calling for a 50:50 water share, scrapping an interim arrangement that allowed 66% of guaranteed water to flow to Andhra Pradesh and 34% to Telangana
Post Date – 11:59 PM, Wednesday – 5/10/23
Hyderabad: On Wednesday, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) moved away from the interim water-sharing arrangement drawn up nine years ago in favor of sharing water on demand between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The interim model it proposes will be in place for the first few months of the new water year from June 1.
The board met here on Wednesday and decided to seek the intervention of the Jal Shakti Ministry to finalize a mutually acceptable agreement on water sharing. A three-member committee comprising board member secretaries and chief engineers of both countries will monitor water sharing in accordance with state regulations and water availability.
Telangana has been demanding a 50:50 water sharing, canceling the temporary arrangement that allowed 66% of guaranteed water to flow to Andhra Pradesh and 34% to Telangana. However, Andhra Pradesh does not wish to change the current sharing system pending a final ruling by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
Telangana officials are insisting on permission to use 50% of the 811 TMC allocated to undivided states. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Special Principal Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar said the 66:34 split between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana would no longer be acceptable. Telangana was founded with the stated aim of settling raw deals on water sharing.
He said it would be against its interests to continue with the same interim water-sharing arrangements, noting that in-basin projects in Telangana State needed priority support, while projects such as SLBC, Kalwakurthy and Nettempadu were already operational and needed additional funding105 TMC water.
Last year, the state also made it clear to the Monetary Authority. Its request was viewed as dissent by the board. AP objections to other items will be addressed in the appropriate forum at the appropriate time. On the Sunkishala issue, he said the pumping was to support drinking water supply in Hyderabad and no further consent was required.
