Andhra Pradesh has welcomed the Union government’s gazette notification on the jurisdiction of both the Krishna and Godavari river management boards.
“The notification is due ever since the bifurcation of the unified State,” Secretary (water resources) J. Syamala Rao has said.
Power generation
Addressing the media on Friday, Mr. Syamala Rao said that Telangana had been generating electricity independently for the last 45 days in Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala projects “without the orders of the KRMB,” and it went further by issuing G.O. No. 34 to generate 100% power.
“For power generation, the State governments are supposed to place indents with the KRMB,” he said.
From June 1 this year, Srisailam reservoir had an inflow of 30.38 tmcft, of which 29.82 tmcft was utilised by Telangana for power generation, leaving the storage at 806.80 feet.
The minimum level must be 854 feet for drawing water from the Srisailam reservoir through the Pothireddypadu head regulator on gravity basis and a water level of 881 feet must be maintained to use A.P.’s share of water, he said.
Explaining the case of Pulichintala project, Mr. Syamala Rao said Telangana used 8 tmcft of water for power generation despite the KRMB’s objection.
In the last 45 days, Telangana had used 66 tmcft of water for power generation despite raising of objections by A.P. and the KRMB.
CM’s letter to PM
In this context, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting him to ensure that Telangana stopped generating power. He had also highlighted the need for notifying the jurisdiction of the KRMB and handing over the project for provision of security by the CISF.
In this case, the State government had approached the Supreme Court to sort the issues.
Against this backdrop, the Centre released the gazette notification, bringing all the projects under jurisdiction of the KRMB and GRMB, he asserted.
