AP-TS water wars appear imminent

Fresh water wars seem to be imminent between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, with the Andhra Pradesh Cabinet passing a resolution seeking the Centre’s intervention in irrigation projects being taken up in Telangana on Godavari and Krishna rivers. The Telangana government is asserting that it will righteously and completely utilise the water allocated to it. Andhra Pradesh is the tail-end state for the Godavari and the Krishna, Telangana forms part of the upper riparian state.
The Telangana government has proposed to take up two lift irrigation projects on the Krishna – Palamuru-Ranga Reddy (90 tmcft) and Dindi Lift Irrigation Project (30 tmcft) – and also proposed to enhance the capacity of Kalavkurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme from 25 to 40 tmcft. The Telangana government is also proposing the construction of new barrages on the Godavari river, but the Andhra Pradesh government is objecting to these projects.
Against this backdrop, the relationship between two Telugu States has sunk to a new low, compelling both to stand by their respective positions.
The Telangana government as a part of poll promise vowed to complete these projects, what may come, but the Andhra Pradesh government contends that Telangana is violating the provisions of the AP Reorganisation Act by constructing new projects on the two rivers flowing through the Telugu-speaking States. The Act is the framework according to which Telangana State was carved out from the erstwhile State of Andhra Pradesh. And the AP government would file a complaint with the Union government to bring pressure on Telangana to comply with provisions of the Act.
In response to AP, the Telangana government has pointed out that the injustice done to Telangana in the united AP resulted in severe crisis. It demanded that the leaders of AP stop interfering in Telangana affairs.
To settle the disputes between the states, the Godavari River Management Board and the Krishna River Management Board have been formed to ensure harmony in water-sharing between the two States. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have large populations engaged in agriculture and water supply is a sticky political issue.
The Union government has also appointed an apex council headed by the Union Water Resources Minister, which will oversee both the river water boards.
Among the board functions, the council is responsible for planning and approval of proposals for construction of new projects, if any, based on Godavari or Krishna river water, after getting the proposal appraised and recommended by the river management boards and by the Central Water Commission, wherever required, according to the Section 84 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014.
Meanwhile, the Central Water Commission has filed a counter affidavit in the Supreme Court in response to a petition filed by a few farmers of Andhra Pradesh on the Palamuru-Rangareddy and Dindi and expansion of Kalavakurthy lift irrigation schemes. Besides this, the CWC in its affidavit stated that there was no proposal with regard to the estimation of water resources and utilisation with Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). The Palamuru Rangareddy and Dindi schemes were not mentioned in the 11th schedule of AP, it said. Permission from KRMB is mandatory for any new project. The new projects of Telangana do not have it. Hence, it is necessary for the Centre to notify all the projects on the Krishna in the two States. The CWC contention goes totally against Telangana on all counts.
The Telangana government contends that when water was apportioned between the two States, the State was entitled to use 954 tmcft water from Godavari, as part of the allocation of 1480 tmcft to undivided AP by the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal. The assured water allocated in Krishna to Telangana was 299 tmcft and surplus was 77 tmcft. As per the entitlement, Telangana would utilise 1,300 tmcft of water by completing all proposed projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers, for which the approval of the water boards is not necessary, when the State is not violating the sharing pacts overseen by water tribunals, it maintains.
Recently, the Telangana government laid the foundation for Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project in Karimnagar that will lift 300 tmcft from Godavari River. After coming to power, the Telangana government has redesigned irrigation projects to achieve its target of irrigating one crore acres in the drought-hit State. It has pointed out that the entire effort of the AP government is to ensure that litigation will continue for years on end, and effectively stop Telangana plan to provide irrigation to its farmers.
The dissonance between the two States is not new. Ever since the creation of Telangana in June 2014, they have been at loggerheads with each other over power generation and sharing of Krishna water. Now the fate of the projects hinges on the outcome of the Supreme Court verdict.

G Rajendera Kumar