In the latest development in the ongoing Krishna and Godavari water wars between the two Telugu states, the Telangana Cabinet on June 19 approved the construction of multiple projects over the Krishna river, to counter Andhra Pradesh’s ‘illegal’ projects and ‘extortion’ of Krishna waters. Objecting to the Andhra Pradesh government’s move to go ahead with the ‘illegal’ constructions under the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS), and the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) right canal construction, the Telangana Cabinet announced several new projects “to ensure justifiable sharing” of Krishna water. “Due to the illegal projects taken up by the Andhra Pradesh government, severe injustice will be done in terms of irrigation water supply to Palamuru, Nalgonda, Khammam, Warangal and Ranga Reddy districts, and drinking water supply to Hyderabad,” a statement from the Chief Minister’s Office said, before listing the set of projects to be taken up.
A new water row between the two states began last year, with the Andhra government planning to expand the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator and construct the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) on the Krishna river. These proposed projects were reportedly 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. Opposing the move, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao accused the Jagan government of taking "unilateral decisions," and attacks and counter-attacks ensued, leading to an Apex Council meeting in October 2020.
At the Apex Council meeting, KCR had asked for a new tribunal to be set up to address the sharing of Krishna river water between the two states. With Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat saying that such a decision cannot be made while the case is pending in the Supreme Court, KCR agreed to withdraw the petition on the condition that the tribunal is constituted. On June 19, the Telangana Cabinet noted that in spite of withdrawing the petition in the Supreme Court, no action has been taken. “The Union government’s inaction has led to a situation where Telangana’s farmers are going to suffer,” a note from KCR’s office said.
Blaming the Union government for failing to support Telangana in the matter since its formation, the Cabinet has decided “to go to any lengths to protect the interests of Telangana farmers.” Some of the decisions related to new projects over the Krishna river include:
> Construction of a barrage at Alampur to divert 60 to 70 TMCs through pipelines, to meet the needs of Palamuru and Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Projects’ ayacut needs,
> Construction of Pulichintala left canal to irrigate 2 lakh acres in Nalgonda and Suryapet districts,
> Construction of another Lift Irrigation Project at Sunkesula reservoir to irrigate one lakh acres in Nadigadda region,
> Construction of flood canal at Kusumurthi village where Bhima river, a tributary of Krishna, enters Telangana, and
> Construction of a Lift Irrigation Project Nagarjuna Sagar tail pond to irrigate 2 lakh acres upstream under Nagarjuna Sagar project limits.
The Cabinet instructed irrigation department officials to survey these projects and take steps towards preparing DPRs (Detailed Project Reports). Apart from bringing up the matter again with the Prime Minister and the Union Jal Shakti Minister, and raising the issue in the monsoon session of the Parliament, the Cabinet said that the issue of “water extortion” by Andhra Pradesh, and the “severe damage” caused by the “illegal projects by Andhra Pradesh,” must be raised in the public sphere and in courts as well.
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