Telangana asks Krishna river Board to stop Andhra from diverting Srisailam water

HYDERABAD: Telangana Irrigation Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar on Thursday shot off another letter to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) with a request to restrain Andhra Pradesh from diverting water from the foreshore of Srisailam reservoir through three unauthorised projects. Muralidhar said that AP was diverting water from the escape channel from Banakacherla cross regulator by lifting water from Malyala pumping station of Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) and from Muchumarri Lift Irrigation Scheme. “By way of these additional projects, which are illegal, AP is feeding the K-C canal ayacut,” the TS official said in his letter.

Through these illegal projects, AP has been utilising more water than its earmarked share of 31.90 tmcft in Krishna river from the Srisailam project, Muralidhar contended. The act of AP is in complete violation of the provisions of the Bachawat Tribunal, he told the KRMB chairman. The KC canal was originally conceived as a navigation canal from Tungabhadra river at Sunkesula anicut in 19th century but later the irrigation component was added to it. The KC canal is entitled to only 10 tmcft water, whereas the RDS has an allocation of 17.1 tmcft.

However, the erstwhile AP before KWDT-1 secured protection of 39.9 tmcft for the KC canal. “This is one of the many components of deliberate neglect of Telangana region in the then united AP. As such, Telangana is challenging the same before KWDT-2 requesting to restrain AP not to use more than 10 tmcft for KC canal. The KWDT-2 is seriously considering this aspect,” Muralidhar said in his letter.

Is KRMB chief impartial: Rajat

Irrigation Special Chief Secretary Rajat Kumar on Thursday expressed serious doubts about the impartiality of the report of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), which will be submitted to the National Green Tribunal on Friday. In a letter to the KRMB chairman on Thursday, Rajat Kumar said that AP irrigation officials including the Engineer-in-Chief and several chief engineers accompanied the KRMB team during its visit to the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme.

“We have personally requested KRMB to permit representatives from the Telangana Irrigation   Department to accompany the KRMB team during the field visit as we are the complainants. We would be in a better position to explain the points to be verified. The KRMB chairman refused to allow this request as the proposed inspection was to be done by a neutral body as per the directions of the Central government,” he said.

“Now, it is learnt that during the inspection, the Central team was accompanied by the ENC as well as CEs of AP and also interacted exhaustively with the team. It is reported in a section of the press that AP made a power-point presentation on Rayalaseema LIS. Under these circumstances, serious doubts are likely to arise about the impartiality of the team report to be furnished by KRMB as the action of permitting officers of one State may influence the report to be submitted by the team,” he added.