The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) meeting saw sparks fly on issues such as diversion of Godavari water to Krishna basin by Andhra Pradesh even as it has doused the 'tampering of telemetry equipment alleged by Telangana and made the two States agree on sharing of available water in 66:34 ratio. In its seventh meeting lasting over four hours and held here on Saturday, the river board has decided to refer the issue of water diversion through Pattiseema to an expert committee, to try a novel initiative on quantifying the water being availed through minor irrigation sources and also to set up a sub-committee for an in-depth study into water losses.
In the presence of top officials of the Irrigation departments of the two States, the KRMB officials assessed the water available in common reservoirs – Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar – as on November 4 at 330 TMC ft. Out of which, AP would get 217.8 TMC ft and Telangana 112.2 TMC ft with priority for drinking water and meeting the irrigation needs second.
Speaking after the meeting, Chairman of KRMB S.K. Srivatsava reiterated that the drinking water needs of Hyderabad city, the common capital for AP and Telangana for a period of 10 years as per the provisions of the A.P. Reorganisation Act, should be met by Telangana State since the city falls in the geographical area of Telangana. “It is the obligation of Telangana and not that of AP as the city is located in the former's territory and practically Hyderabad is the capital of Telangana”, he said.
The board has also successfully doused the issue over alleged tampering of telemetry equipment to show less drawals of water from Pothireddypadu head regulator by AP than the actual drawals by stating that the agency concerned was only engaged in calibrating the equipment as part of trials. “The equipment installed at 18 locations is yet to be commissioned although there were allegations of tampering at four locations. It's only a misunderstanding since the consent of the two States is taken before they are commissioned”, Mr. Srivatsava explained.
Meanwhile, officials from AP were understood to have strongly objected to Telangana's attempt to bring the issue of Pattiseema in the KRMB meeting every time, although it has no authority to take up the matter. “Telangana is trying to confuse the issue of Godavari water diversion with the matter of availing water from Pattiseema project”, a senior AP official told The Hindu adding that they have decided to raise the matter first from the next meeting onwards. Mr. Srivatsava said the issue of Godavari water diversion was linked to completion of Polavaram project. The board, however, did not discuss the issue of power generation at Srisailam as the board Chairman put it as “accrual of incidental benefit”.
