Telangana Pushes for Fair Share of Krishna River Water
The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II) has agreed to examine the Telangana government’s demand for project-wise water allocations of the Krishna River. This decision has prompted the Telangana government to intensify efforts to present evidence of Andhra Pradesh’s excessive use of Krishna water, which it claims violates the AP Reorganisation Act of 2014.
Telangana’s Irrigation Minister, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, expressed satisfaction with the Tribunal’s decision. He noted that the Tribunal’s study of project-wise allocations aligns with Section 89 of the AP Reorganisation Act, which required such allocations in the absence of specific rulings from earlier tribunals.
Telangana had earlier approached the Supreme Court, seeking the creation of a new tribunal. This led the Central government to issue new Terms of Reference (TOR) for KWDT-II in October 2023. The updated TOR includes allocations for existing, ongoing, and planned projects in both states. Telangana, with a greater number of projects on the Krishna River, hopes to secure a larger share of the water.
On Thursday, the Tribunal announced it would hear the matter again in February 2024 under the revised TOR. This development is viewed as a critical opportunity for Telangana to argue its case.
Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy criticized former Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao for agreeing to an allocation of 299 tmc ft of water for Telangana and 512 tmc ft for Andhra Pradesh out of the 811 tmc ft awarded by the Bachawat Tribunal (KWDT-I) to the undivided Andhra Pradesh state. Reddy argued that this agreement was unjust, as 68.5% of the Krishna Basin’s catchment area lies within Telangana. By this logic, Telangana should receive 555 tmc ft of water, not just 299 tmc ft.
Reddy also highlighted that several Telangana projects within the Krishna Basin, including Palamuru Rangareddy, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu, and Bheema lift irrigation schemes, lack water allocations from the Krishna Tribunal. He criticized KCR for failing to submit Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) for these projects to the Central Water Commission and Krishna River Management Board. Reddy alleged this oversight has jeopardized the water needs of people in Palamuru, Nalgonda, and Ranga Reddy districts.
The Telangana government is now focused on rectifying these challenges and securing its rightful share of Krishna River water through the Tribunal’s proceedings.
