The threat of water wars looms large as the Central government has crossed yet another crucial milestone in dividing Andhra Pradesh when the draft Bill for creation of Telangana was cleared by the Union Cabinet on Thursday.
According to experts in irrigation, sharing of water in the river Krishna is bound to give rise to new disputes between people of Seemandhra and Telangana as nearly 69 per cent of its catchment area is situated in Telangana and the balance 31 per cent in Seemandhra (19 per cent in Rayalaseema and 12 per cent in coastal Andhra).
More problematic will be the claims and counterclaims over projects due to their location in areas contiguous to both regions.
The formula of apportioning Krishna river water between Telangana and the ‘residuary State of Andhra Pradesh’ has to be reworked in view of the ground realities, in such a manner that people on both sides do not feel aggrieved in getting their dues shares and utilising the same.
ComplicatedSettling disputes from the viewpoint of geographical location (of projects) is going to be extremely complicated as it involves identifying boundaries and then deciding either way, said Akkineni Bhavani Prasad, founder of Consortium of Indian Farmers’ Associations.
Sharing of river water stored in Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar (NSP) and K.L. Rao Sagar (Pulichintala) projects holds ominous signs of a rift in the making between Seemandhra and Telangana in the near future as all of them are situated on the borders.
The Srisailam reservoir is bordering Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts, NSP is situated on the boundaries of Guntur and Nalgonda and the yet-to-be-completed Pulichintala sits on the borders of Krishna, Guntur and Nalgonda districts.
