The second meeting of the Apex Council on Tuesday over the Krishna water dispute between Telangana and Andhra is set to witness arguments from both states. The crucial meeting is taking place virtually in the backdrop of COVID-19 safety guidelines. Telangana is demanding operational control of the Srisailam reservoir citing the safeguarding of state interests. The Telangana government claimed that it would confront both Andhra Pradesh and the Union government over water sharing in the October 6 meeting.
The row over water sharing recently began as the Andhra government plans to expand the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator and construct the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) on the Krishna river. The proposed projects worth Rs 7000 crore were allegedly aimed at drawing an additional quantity of six to eight TMCs (thousand million cubic feet) of water per day from the Srisailam reservoir on the Krishna river.
KCR's government called Andhra’s moves "unilateral", affecting the interests of Telangana.
The virtual Apex Council meet on Tuesday will be headed by Union Water Resources Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and attended by both the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra and their bureaucrats along with senior officials from the Union Water Resources Ministry.
Given that the issue of water sharing between the two states is pending before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal and the Supreme Court, the Apex Council is likely to focus on the management of water, reported The Hindu. Tribunals headed by RS Bachawat both in the Krishna and Godavari Basins with region wise allotment of water had earlier allotted water to both states.
The first Apex Council meet was held in September 2016 following the state bifurcation in 2014.