Tension escalates between Telugu states over Nagarjuna Sagar project

Tension between Telugu states Andhra Pradesh and Telangana escalated over the common Nagarjuna Sagar project built on the Krishna River.

Following Andhra Pradesh’s action of taking control over 13 gates of the project, Telangana registered an FIR on Friday.

Telangana also had taken the issue to the notice of the Union Jal Shakthi ministry. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh started talking assertively. Andhra irrigation minister, Ambati Rambabu said the state has not flouted any treaty. He added that 66 per cent of Krishna water belongs to Andhra Pradesh and 34 per cent to Telangana. Andhra Pradesh had already released 13,000 cusecs of water from the right canal from the gates taken over by them.

Telangana irrigation officials complained to the Vijayapuri Police in Nalgonda district. FIR named Andhra Pradesh Police as A1 under sections 447 and 426. Telangana accused that AP came with 500 armed police force and 13 of the 26 dam gates have been damaged violating KRMB norms and also water is being diverted from the right canal.

Amid high drama with heavy deployment of police personnel, Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials around 2 am on Thursday reached Nagarjuna Sagar dam and took control of 13 of the 26 crest gates and also the right canal head regulator. Later they barricaded the entire area from the 13th gate and released water to the right canal.

“Some media houses are spreading misinformation on Nagarjuna Sagar dam issue. We have not flouted any treaty. 66 per cent of Krishna water belongs to Andhra Pradesh and 34 per cent to Telangana. We have not used even a single drop of water that does not belong to us. We tried to open our canal in our own territory. This water is rightfully ours. I reiterate, the YSRCP government has only tried to use water from the 66 per cent share that is rightfully ours to fulfill the needs of the farmers and people of our state,” said Ambati Rambabu.

It is learnt that currently about 25 TMC of water is available above the minimum drawdown level of 510ft of the project and nearly two TMC of it was drawn by Andhra Pradesh it in the last two days.

About 15 TMC would be the actual requirement of Telangana to meet the drinking water needs of the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad, besides the districts of Nalgonda and Khammam, till the end of May 2024.

It is also understood that chief secretaries of both the states may hold discussions soon on the contentious issue.

KRMB writes to Andhra

Meanwhile Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) wrote a letter to Andhra Pradesh chief secretary with an intent to de-escalate the situation.

In the letter, it is learnt KRMB has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to stop taking water from Nagarjuna Sagar right canal. The letter also mentioned that 5.01 TMC has already been released out of the 5 TMC requested for October. No request for water release has been received from Andhra Pradesh after November 30.

Centre holds meeting

Amid standoff between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over Nagarjuna Sagar project Centre convened a meeting on Saturday under the chairmanship of Union water resources secretary to diffuse the existing tension between the two states on the issues of sharing of Krishna river water. Discussion on the issues related to the transfer of the operation of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and Srisailam Dam/reservoirs along with all related structures to KRMB is also expected to take place.

This meeting has been scheduled on Saturday at 11 am in hybrid mode in Room No. 412, Shram Shakti Bhawan, New Delhi, said a communique to both the chief secretaries of Telugu states.