TS Drew 1.37 tmcft Excess Water: AP

by VV Balakrishna


Krishna Board urged to ensure compliance with its orders


Hyderabad: Alleging that the Telangana state has utilised 1.37 tmcft more than the allowable water as ordered by the Krishna River Management Board, the Andhra Pradesh government has written a letter to the board to ensure that Telangana complies with its orders in future.
The letter by the AP government comes at a time when truce seems to have been appeared between the two states over the issue of power generation at Srisailam.
The KRMB had ordered that Telangana state draw only 3 tmcft for generating power at Srisailam. But, according to the AP government, its neighbour drew 4.37 tmcft of Krishna river water.
"I request you to kindly ensure compliance of the orders of the KRMB to maintain adequate levels to enable irrigation requirements from Srisailam Reservoir for the rest of the Kharif season and drinking water requirements till June 2015," the AP government requested the KRMB chairman in the  letter.
The letter recalled that the KRMB order on October 21 said that water release for power production, if any, from the existing storages should match the drinking water and irrigation requirements, and a
situation, wherein assured water to Rayalaseema can not be sent through gravity, should be averted.
The board, in its order on October 31, instructed the government of Telangana to restrict the water drawing for power generation up to 3 tmcft till November 2,  AP recalled and informed the board that  Telangana utilised 4.37 tmc.
"The present water level at Srisailam is 857 ft and AP can utilise 10.04 tmcft above the level of 854 feet (ie, MDDL and lowest commendable level of SRBC and KC Canal), the letter said.
"The AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 provides for precedence of drinking water needs and irrigation needs over power needs. In fact, the power generation at upstream reservoirs is incidental while meeting downstream drinking and irrigation requirements and, accordingly, the power generation has to be optimised."
Sources said the AP government took up the issue with KMRB to prove that TS violated its orders and to put the latter on the mat and the two states approach the board or any other platform, if any, in future.
The AP government informed the board that the actual drawing of water for power generation by Telangana subsequent to KRMB order is as follows:

Date           tmcft

October 31     2.34
November 1     0.91
November 2     1.13

Total          4.37