The Telangana government has raised objections to the rule curves and operation protocols related to Srisailam reservoir furnished by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) as part of implementing the purview and observed that they are in violation of the Bachawat Tribunal Award (KWDT-I).
In a letter addressed to Chairman of the river board M.P. Singh on Thursday, Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) of Telangana Dr. Rajat Kumar suggested the KRMB to review the protocols and make necessary corrections in tune with the Bachawat Award since neither the Centre (Ministry of Jal Shakti) nor the river board (KRMB) have powers to reinterpret the award and its provisions.
Stating that the Telangana government has constituted an expert committee to study the proposals of KRMB on the implementation of MoJS notification dated July 15, 2021, Mr. Rajat Kumar said the committee had met on Wednesday (October 20) and examined the rule curves and operation protocols related to Srisailam reservoir.
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“The committee members unanimously felt that the entire methodology considered in developing the rule curves is erroneous as it does not comply with the provisions of KWDT-I,” the Special Chief Secretary said. Drawing the KRMB Chairman’s attention to Page No.104 of KWDT-I award, according to which “the Srisailam Project being a hydro-electric project for generating power without diverting water to another watershed does not involve consumptive use of water except for evaporation loss,” he noted.
Neither KRMB nor the Centre (MoJS) has the power to alter the provisions of the Bachawat Award, Mr. Rajat Kumar said adding that the allocation of Krishna river water is under the consideration of Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II). “Till the KWDT-II decides the allocations, KWDT-I award has to be followed in letter and spirit for sharing Krishna waters among the riparian States,” he asserted.
The rule curves in respect of Srisailam reservoir have to restrict the consumptive use of water by Andhra Pradesh to 34 tmcft, the maximum drawals that can be permitted as per the Inter-State Agreement and the Planning Commission approval, Mr. Rajat Kumar wrote to KRMB. Further, he pointed out that taking seven years data from 2014-15 onwards for working out the average utilisations was not only a violation of the KWDT-I award, but would also strengthen the illegitimate claims of AP for transferring Krishna waters to outside the basin areas through Pothireddypadu Head Regulator and Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS).
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The Special Chief Secretary of Telangana stressed the need for an integrated rule curve both for Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar projects as the latter does not have any catchment area of its own and it is a critical source for agricultural, industrial and drinking water needs of both the States and major source of water for Nagarjunasagar is the release of water from Srisailam.
It is also necessary to make provision for carry-over storage in the rule curves for both the reservoirs since it is the mandate of the KWDT-I award.