Krishna waters dispute: Telangana CM threatens to construct barrage at Alampur

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has warned that his government would construct a barrage at Alampur-Pedda Marur to lift three TMC of irrigation water daily if Andhra Pradesh government moves ahead with “illegal projects like Potireddypadu” on the Krishna river.

Rao stated that his stand in the apex council meeting convened by union water resources minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat on Tuesday to resolve the water sharing issues between the two states. The virtual conference was also attended by Andhra Pradesh CM Jaganmohan Reddy.

“The injustices meted out to Telangana in river water allocation has resulted in separate statehood movement. Telangana is ready to protect its farmers’ interests and would not keep quiet if the AP government attempts to usurp our water rights. The irrigation water share we lost during united AP will be reclaimed,” Rao said according to a statement from the CMO.

In a move objected by Telangana, the Reddy government had in May issued an order for allocation of Rs 6829 crore for the Rayalaseema Lift Scheme and supporting canal system to draw three TMC per day from the from Pothireddypadu Head Regulator on the Srisailam reservoir.

Rao said that “it was unfortunate and painful that despite Telangana lodging complaints, the AP government is going ahead with the projects.”

AP CM Reddy submitted that the Pothireddypadu/Rayalaseema Lift scheme is essential to provide water for the chronically drought-prone areas of Rayalaseema - Kurnool, YSR Kadapa, Anantapuram, Chittoor, and SPSR Nellore and Prakasam districts.

Rao said that the state government had filed a petition in the Supreme Court as the Centre did not respond to their demand of constituting a new tribunal for Krishna under the Interstate River Waters Disputes Act of 1956.

The Telangana CM however agreed to withdraw the case in the Supreme Court to enable the Centre to move forward on referring the water sharing issues to the tribunal, after taking due legal opinion.

The second meeting of the council set up as per the terms of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganization Act – 2014, has also decided to shift the Krishna River Management Board to AP from Hyderabad.

The centre has also announced its decision of notifying the jurisdiction of both KRMB and Godavari RMB. Telangana CM has dissented on this but as per the APRA-2014, no consensus is needed, the ministry of Jal-Shakti said.

Both Chief Ministers agreed to submit the Detailed Project Reports of all projects taken up in their respective states. The Jal Shakti minister assured that the technical appraisal of all these projects would be carried in the shortest possible time frame.