The central government has decided to set up an expert committee comprising technical officials, central officers, and officials to resolve water disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The decision to set up the expert committee was taken at a meeting between Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Telangana’s A Revanth Reddy and the Union Jal Shakti minister, CR Patil, and came in the backdrop of Telangana’s Opposition to the Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which envisages diverting 200 TMC of Godavari floodwater from Polavaram to the Banakacherla regulator in Kurnool district.
Separate offices for Krishna River Management Board will be set up at Amaravati while Godavari River Management Board will be in Hyderabad. The boards must be set up by July 21.
Speaking in Delhi after the meeting, Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that the committee will submit its observations within 30 days.
“The meeting was a success and the Government of India acted as an arbitrator between the two states without taking any sides,” Revanth Reddy said.
Apart from setting up the committee, telemetric devices will be installed at different outlet points of the rivers and its canals, said Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, who was also part of the delegation. The devices will measure “the amount of water used by Andhra Pradesh from these rivers”, he said.
He further said: “The devices will be installed at war footing”. Besides, a Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) will function out of Telangana and a Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) will function out of Andhra Pradesh. “It is based on the agreement made in the Andhra Pradesh reorganisation act that these boards will function”.
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According to sources at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s Office, other issues agreed upon include conducting repairs at the Srisailam project. Built across the Krishna River in Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh and Nagarkurnool district, Telangana, the Srisailam dam falls under the administrative control of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
“The discussions between the two states were held in a cordial atmosphere… It was decided to resolve all issues through discussions,” one source said.
Revanth has said that the controversial Polavaram-Banakacherla project did not come up for discussion. However, the meeting comes at a time when Naidu sought the Centre’s support for the Polavaram-Banakacherla link project, which he claims would help drought-proof the Rayalaseema region.
The Polavaram project is located in Eluru and East Godavari districts, while Banakacherla lies in Kurnool. The plan involves a three-part water transfer system: the Bollapalli reservoir in Palnadu district, lift irrigation systems, and tunnels through the Nallamala hills.
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But his Telangana counterpart Revanth Reddy has opposed the project, instead asking the Centre for approvals for pending projects on the Krishna River. The chief minister has also vowed to demand the state’s “rightful” share of the Godavari waters.
The Telangana delegation will meet the Union minister in Delhi on July 16 “to insist on achieving all of Telangana’s fair share of water, approval for all projects under construction and water allocation for new projects”, Telangana Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
With inputs from Nikhila Henry
