Got assurance from Union min on Telangana’s water issues: Uttam

Hyderabad: Telangana irrigation minister Uttam Kumar Reddy said he “secured a firm assurance” from Union minister for Jal Shakti CR Patil on the Centre intervening in addressing Telangana’s water concerns and expediting approvals for key irrigation projects. The cabinet minister was in Udaipur to attend the second All India State Water Ministers’ Conference, wherein he had raised the issues a day earlier.

According to a press release, during the meeting on the sidelines, Uttam Kumar Reddy held discussions with Debashree Mukherjee, Secretary, Ministry of Jal Sakhti, for immediate action on water disputes with Andhra Pradesh and for funding of critical projects, said a press release from the irrigation minister’s office on Wednesday. Uttam Kumar Reddy raised concerns over Andhra Pradesh (AP) drawing excess water ‘illegally’ from the backwaters of the Srisailam Dam and the right canal of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project during the ongoing Rabi season.

The Telangana minister emphasised the urgent need for central intervention to protect the Rabi crop in the ayacut areas of Nagarjuna Sagar, particularly in the erstwhile Nalgonda and Khammam districts. “In response, Union Minister Patil assured that the Government of India would take immediate steps to ensure fair water distribution and prevent unauthorised withdrawals,” the release added.

Telangana and AP have been at loggerheads over water sharing from the Krishna river since both states were bifurcated in 2014. Officials have even got into physical fights in the past over the water sharing issue. The control over the the river lies with the Centre-run Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to supply water as per agreements for both the Telugu states.

Two days ago, the government of Telangana decided to lodge a complaint with the Centre against Andhra Pradesh (AP) for drawing more water from the Krishna river than its allocated share. Uttam Kumar Reddy also advocated for the installation of telemetry systems at both Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar dams, at a total of 35 points on Krishna river water, to enhance transparency and prevent future disputes.

“These systems would provide real-time data on water usage, ensuring adherence to allocated quotas. The Union Minister concurred, recognising the importance of accurate monitoring mechanisms,” added the release. Uttam also urged the Centre to sanction key irrigation projects, including the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), Sitarama Sagar Project, and Sammakka Sagar Project.  

Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasised the need for the Government of India’s intervention to expedite the proceedings of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) between Telangana and AP. An early judgment is crucial to ensure Telangana receives its rightful water share, stated the release.