KRMB action rankles govt

KRMB action rankles govt
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Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) gave a shock to the State government. The KRMB rejected the government’s plea to include important issues with regard to water utilisation and project maintenance in the agenda for the Board meeting to be held on Saturday.

Hyderabad: Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) gave a shock to the State government. The KRMB rejected the government’s plea to include important issues with regard to water utilisation and project maintenance in the agenda for the Board meeting to be held on Saturday.

Taking a serious note of the Board’s decision, the government decided to lodge a protest at the meeting and raise the issues also. Telangana State Special Chief Secretary for Irrigation S K Joshi forwarded an official letter, requesting the KRMB to include the demand for finalisation of quantum of water for drinking needs for Hyderabad city, tampering of telemetry system at Pothireddypadu head regulator, according rights in the maintenance of Pulichintala project to Telangana State government along with AP and the status of working manual on other issues raised by government recently.

The irrigation officials told The Hans India that the Board informed the government that the issues raised by Telangana State would not be included in the agenda during the proposed meeting. Telangana State government has been demanding that foolproof system be put in place to arrest the excess drawl of water from the river Krishna from Pothireddypadu head regulator. Telangana State government had already exposed the AP government’s deeds in tampering of telemetry system at the head regulator and excess drawl of water from Srisailam reservoir.

The TS government has also been demanding that maintenance rights on Pulichintal project be given to it. It argued that 10 lift irrigation scheme and hydel power generation station with 120 MW capacity, attached to the project, are under the control of the Telangana State government. The AP government was raising objections in releasing water for lift irrigation and hydel project. The construction of hydel project was already completed and was ready for commissioning.

Officials said that the government has also demanded that the KRMB finalise water allocation for drinking purpose in Hyderabad . But the board was not taking it as a serious issue. The government has been demanding discussion on the working manual on the issues which includes illegal construction of Muchumarri lift irrigation scheme, Gundrevula reservoir across river Tungabhadra the upstream of Sunkeshula barrage with 15 to 20 tmcft capacity, lift irrigation scheme for supplementation of Gajuladinne ayacut by lifting 0.96 tmcft of water from Tungabhadra and Guru Raghavendra lift irrigation scheme with 5 tmcft capacity. Officials said AP has taken up the projects clandestinely and exploiting Krishna water without board permission.

The KRMB meeting is to finalise water share between AP and Telangana State for the current water year based on the availability of water in the reservoirs. The TS government has been demanding allocation of 140 tmcft of water and the neighbouring State forwarded indent to board for 270 tmcft of water.

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