No solution appears in sight on the amicable sharing of Krishna water during the 2017-18 water year by the two Telugu States even as the fresh flood, although in a small amount, has started reaching some of the reservoirs in the Krishna Basin since two sides have expressed intent for an apex committee meeting.
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has already asked the two States to come up with a mutually-agreed formula as they had done during the previous years. However, the two States have approached the Centre, the Union Water Resources Ministry, preferring to discuss the matter at the apex council headed by the Union Minister. Following lack of cohesion in water releases from the joint projects during the first year (2014-15) after the bifurcation of combined Andhra Pradesh into Telangana and A.P., the two States came to an understanding to share the available water in the joint projects in the 299 tmcft : 512 tmcft (TS:AP) ratio as awarded by the Bachawat Tribunal during 2015-16 and followed the same in 2016-17.
“A.P. is not willing to follow the same methodology for 2017-18 but wants the ratio of sharing to be reworked till the quota for the two States is finalised by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, though we have not many objections on the system followed during the previous years”, a senior official of the irrigation department stated when contacted.
On its part, the Telangana side is not willing to handover the matter of water sharing to the KRMB yet on the grounds that it could manage release only after the water shares for the two States are decided by the tribunal. Besides, it has reservations over handing over the water releases management mantle to the KRMB on the basis of telemetry equipment since installation of the water measuring equipment has not been completed yet at all necessary locations.
The Telangana irrigation officials have stated that A.P. was not agreeing on the 17 out of 28 locations where the telemetry equipment has to be installed in the second phase since they are located on its territory. In the first phase, the equipment was installed at 18 locations including 14 in Telangana.
“One location of telemetry equipment in AP was changed unilaterally by the KRMB officials in the first phase succumbing to pressure from A.P. side even as we strongly objected to it”, the TS official said adding that they would raise the issue at the apex council, whenever its meeting takes place, since it was installed much below the Pothireddypadu head regulator where the water flow is divided.
