Telangana drops water bombshell on AP

Telangana drops water bombshell on AP
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In what comes as a major embarrassment for the neighbouring State, the Telangana government has come out with a big demand to allocate to it all the Krishna water utilised for agricultural needs in nearly 7 lakh acres of farmlands which come under the purview of the newly-created CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) region in Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh.

Hyderabad: In what comes as a major embarrassment for the neighbouring State, the Telangana government has come out with a big demand to allocate to it all the Krishna water utilised for agricultural needs in nearly 7 lakh acres of farmlands which come under the purview of the newly-created CRDA (Capital Region Development Authority) region in Krishna delta in Andhra Pradesh.

The Telangana government submitted a feasibility study and a map on the conversion of agricultural land into urban land in the CRDA region to the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal which conducted a three-day hearing to adjudicate the distribution of 1,005 tmc ft of Krishna water between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The tribunal allocated 1,005 tmc ft of water to erstwhile AP in 2013.

Telangana counsel CS Vaidyanathan argued before the tribunal that water utilised for irrigation needs had come down drastically after the agricultural lands were transferred into non-farmland in the capital region in Andhra Pradesh. It is estimated that nearly 7 lakh acres of agricultural land has been converted into urban lands. As a result, more than 30 tmc ft of water will be left unutilised and the same quantity will drain into the Bay of Bengal.

Irrigation officials told The Hans India that the Telangana government wanted the tribunal to consider the usage of Godavari waters in Krishna basin projects by Andhra Pradesh and the reduction of Krishna delta water allocation to Andhra following the establishment of CRDA region by taking 50,000 acres of fertile lands by the government and conversion of another 6.50 lakh acres of private land into urban land in the two districts.

In the report submitted to Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, the Telangana government explained that parched lands along the Nagarjunasagar Left Canal in Telangana districts of old Nalgonda and Khammam would get irrigation facility by the diversion of water.

The issue would be sorted out after hearing the argument from Andhra Pradesh, officials said adding that Telangana was also demanding the tribunal to allocate its share in the water diverted by AP through Pattiseema project. As per the Bachawat Tribunal award, AP has to share the water diverted from river Godavari. Telangana, being the upper riparian State, has been demanding a share of 45 tmc ft out of the total 80 tmc ft diverted from the Krishna.

The Telangana government’s demand to stop AP from drawing water from Pulichintala lift irrigation project for irrigation needs in Krishna delta was rejected. The tribunal maintained that the Pattiseema project would fetch only 80 tmc ft of water out of 152 tmc ft water demand in the delta.

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