Andhra Pradesh diverting water, says Telangana to KRMB

HYDERABAD: A day after a team of officials from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) visited the disputed Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) site, Telangana on Thursday asked the KRMB to restrain Andhra Pradesh from diverting water from foreshore of Srisailam reservoir.
Telangana alleged that AP was diverting water through three projects which it termed them as illegal. It said water was diverted through Muchumarri, a link canal connecting Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi Lift Irrigation Scheme at Malyala, with KC Canal and an escape channel from Banakacherla cross regulator to feed the KC Canal ayacut.
Telangana irrigation department engineer-in-chief C Muralidhar in his letter to chairman of KRMB, MP Singh, said AP had been utilising more water than the allocated 31.90 tmcft and diverting it to outside the basin. He said it would adversely impact many Telangana irrigation projects like Nagarjuna Sagar and drinking water supply to Hyderabad.
He said Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)-I imposed restrictions on utilisation of water in Tungabhadra sub-basin and added Tungabhadra river contributes substantial flows to the mainstream Krishna. The irrigation chief said KC Canal was originally conceived as a navigation canal from Tungabhadra river at Sunkesula anicut and later irrigation component was added.
“This is one of the many components of deliberate neglect of Telangana region in the then united AP state. Telangana is challenging the same before KWDT-II requesting to restrain AP not to use more than 10 tmcft for KC Canal,” he said.