Krishna River.
Credit: PTI file photo
Ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, both the Telugu states' agreement to handover Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects to Union government's Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) is snowballing into major political controversy in Telangana.
BRS that harps onto the ‘self respect’ plank is set to intensify the issue as the pink party feels that handing over these projects to the Union government without finalizing the share of Krishna river water between the two states is nothing but losing Telangana's legitimate rights.
BRS MPs in Delhi launched a campaign against the Telangana government's handing over of these projects to KRMB.
In a crucial meeting held in Hyderabad on Thursday, the Engineers in Chief of both the states agreed to hand over the projects to the KRMB but disagreed on the management of the hydroelectric projects.
Amid high drama with heavy deployment of police personnel Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials in the early hours of November 30, the day Telangana assembly went to polls last year reached Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and took control of 13 of the 26 crest gates and also right canal head regulator. Later they barricaded the entire area from the 13th gate and released water to the right canal.
The November incident had escalated the water disputes between both the Telugu states and Union government had deployed central forces and literally taken over the project. Since then KRMB has been holding meetings and consultations to de-escalate the situation between the two states.
Post bifurcation, both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh had disputes over common projects on rivers Krishna and Godavari.
Seven years after Andhra Pradesh's bifurcation, The Union government in 2021 had notified the jurisdiction of Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), for administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of projects in Godavari and Krishna river basins respectively, in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. CISF personnel were supposed to provide security to all the projects that come under KRMB and GRMB.
However the notifications could not be implemented due to the objections raised by Telangana. Such notification of the river boards jurisdiction part of AP reorganisation Act has been a constant demand of the Andhra government. From October 14, 2021 onwards, the KRMB and GRMB were to have control over the operations and maintenance of the common reservoirs in both Krishna and Godavari basins.
There are 36 projects in Krishna basin and 71 in Godavari basin that were supposed to come under the control of KRMB and GRMB respectively.
“From now, Telangana would not be able to draw even a drop from the projects without the consent of KRMB. We would not be able to claim our own share of water even during emergencies in summer without the approval of the Union government controlled Board,” said former irrigation minister T Harish Rao.
BRS MP from Chevella, Gaddam Ranjit Reddy who met union Jal Shakti Minister, along with other MPs of his party said that they have presented Telangana's opposition to handing over projects to KRMB.