Telangana government has raised objection to the plans of Andhra Pradesh to construct two new barrages downstream of the Prakasam Barrage to utilise the river Krishna water in violation of the provisions AP Reorganisation Act and also without appraisal of the Krishna River Management Board and approval of the Apex Council.
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Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation-General) of Telangana C. Muralidhar addressed a letter to Chairman of the KRMB M.P. Singh requesting him to restrain A.P. from taking up the two barrages stating that they are new projects and could not be taken up without appraisal of the river board and approval of the Apex Council.
The ENC referring reports on the AP’s plans to construct a barrage 12 km downstream of the Prakasam Barrage with a storage capacity of 2.7 tmc ft between Chodavaram and Ramachandrapuram villages of Penamaluru and Mangalagiri mandals. Similarly, another barrage is planned at 62 km downstream of Prakasam Barrage between Bandi Kollanka and Toorpupalem villages of Mopidevi and Repalle mandals with storage capacity of 4.7 tmc ft.
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Citing reports, the ENC stated that the A.P. government had released ₹204 crore for the purpose of survey and the Water Resources Department had sought administrative nod for ₹2,565 crore for taking up the two barrages.
In another letter addressed to the KRMB Chairman, the Telangana ENC requested the latter to examine all the pumped storage hydro-electric projects being taken up by AP without the appraisal of the river board and approval of the Apex Council.
Citing reports, the ENC said A.P. government had sanctioned pumped storage hydel projects with a capacity of 3,700 megawatt to Adani Green Energy. Besides, A.P. was also taking up a 1,000 MW capacity pumped hydel project at Gandikota in Kadapa district, 500 MW capacity project at Chitravati in Anantapur district and another at Gorakallu (Pinnapuram), all connected to drawal of Krishna water from Srisailam reservoir.
Mr. Muralidhar brought to the notice of the river board Chairman’s notice that Telangana had already wrote to the board requesting necessary action against A.P. for taking up the pumped hydel projects at Chitravati and Gorakallu reservoirs. He sought to know how water diverted from a deficit basin to outside basin areas in A.P. in the name of drought-prone areas could be utilised for power generation/pumped hydel when the national water policy clearly mandates that drinking water requirements be given priority with diverted water.