The Telangana Government has once again complained to the Centre against Andhra Pradesh for its “continuous under-reporting of drawal of Krishna water through Pothireddypadu Head Regulator (PRP), located on the foreshores of Srisailam – common reservoir for the two Telugu States, and Banakacharla Cross Regulator.
In a letter addressed to Union Water Resources Minister Nitin J. Gadkari five days ago, Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao pointed out that AP was impounding the water drawn through the two systems in storage facilities at multiple locations.
He brought to the notice of the Union Minister that based on the suggestions at a meeting chaired by the then Secretary to the Ministry of Water Resources in June 2016, a decision was taken to install the telemetry equipment on priority basis on all systems of Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar within two months.
However, even nearly two years after the decision was taken, the telemetry equipment had not been made functional, although some steps were taken in that direction.
Mr. Harish Rao explained that AP had developed a gravity-based system of water drawal at Pothireddypadu, which had the capacity to draw over 55,000 cusecs of water.
“There is always a dispute about the quantum of water utilised by AP, in the absence of accurate flow measurement system at Pothireddypadu,” he said.
Close supervision
Mr. Harish Rao requested the Union Minister to instruct the officials concerned in Central Water Commission (CWC) and Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to install and commission tamper-proof telemetry equipment without further delay. This should be done under the close supervision of some senior officers from the Ministry of Water Resources, he said. The Minister expressed the hope that the water flow measuring equipment would become functional at least before the commencement of 2018-19 water year from June.
