In what is equivalent to a Cold War between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, the two States continue to trade allegations of “water theft”. The A.P. Irrigation department officials say Telangana State (TS) was drawing an unspecified amount from the Nagarjuna Sagar Flood Flow Canal (FFC).
This issue has been a bone of contention since the bifurcation and now the water in the project reached FRL (full reservoir level) for the first time. Telangana could draw water from the FFC the instant the level in the NSP crosses the 582-ft mark. The level reached 586.7 ft on Saturday. In fact TS has been drawing water from FFC since September 1.
Before the bifurcation, leaders of Telangana often charged coastal Andhra leaders in the ruling parties with “stealing” water that should have been released to the Telangana region.
Even after the bifurcation, the leaders and the officials filed affidavits before the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT) headed by Justice Brijesh Kumar that the disparity in the distribution was a key issue that precipitated matters leading to the division.
The tribunal rejected the affidavits saying other issues caused the bifurcation.
Telangana wrote several letters to both the KRMB and also the Union Water Resources Ministry to stop A.P. from drawing water in the height of summer and also make it instal telemeters at the Potireddypadu Head Regulator and at the Pavitrasangamam, confluence of the Krishna river and the Polavaram Right Main Canal, to check “pilferage”.
CWC data
According to the Central Water Commission data, around 400 cusecs was being drawn by TS through the FFC, but the AP engineers alleged that “much more” was being drawn “without any information to the KRMB”. The AP engineers said fixing of the telemeter to the NSP FFC was the only foolproof way to know how much water was being drawn.