Although all major reservoirs in the Krishna Basin in the two Telugu States are empty for all practical purposes, since water storage in Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar is little above the dead storage level, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) meeting scheduled in Vijayawada on Tuesday would discuss the mechanism for water sharing for the current water year.
Working out a new mechanism of water sharing has been necessitated since Andhra Pradesh has expressed its unwillingness to continue the methodology followed during the last two years. Telangana, on the other hand, wants the existing system to be continued till finalisation of project-wise water allocation by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
Mechanism needed
“In spite of our likes and dislikes and water levels in the reservoirs, we need to have a system devised for sharing water till May-end 2018 for drinking, irrigation and other needs,” a senior irrigation official accompanying the Telangana team for the meeting comprising Special Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, Engineer-in-Chief C. Muralidhar and others told The Hindu on Monday.
Approval of working manual for the board, approval of logo for KRMB, status of telemetry stations set up in the first phase and finalisation of locations for installation of the water measuring equipment in the second phase would be other important issues to be taken up at the meeting, the official said.
The senior official, however, admitted that the two riparian States, particularly Telangana, also have reservations on the draft working manual circulated among them.
“One of the basic complaints of Telangana Government has been as to how the board would regulate sharing when there is no clarity on the project-wise allocation and utilisation for different needs”, the official sources pointed out.
The two States are also expected to furnish detailed project reports of all new projects for approval of the board.
