Telangana Urges Centre to Resolve Long-Pending Krishna-Godavari Water Issues

Hyderabad: Telangana’s Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy has written to Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, seeking his urgent intervention to resolve a host of long-pending issues in the Krishna and Godavari river basins, which he said are critical for the state’s irrigation needs and water rights.

In his detailed letter, Reddy thanked Patil for showing interest in addressing Telangana’s water concerns during their meeting on 19 June, but flagged that several key issues remain unresolved despite repeated representations to central agencies and ministries.

“These unresolved matters are preventing us from securing institutional funding and are delaying benefits to farmers in drought-prone and backwards areas,” Reddy said, emphasising the need for immediate clearances from the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC).

Key Projects Awaiting Clearances

Reddy highlighted that the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and the Dindi Lift Irrigation Scheme (LIS) — both vital for southern Telangana — are still awaiting CWC clearance. He pointed out that Telangana has already responded to CWC queries and requested the Union Minister to recommend their approval. He noted that these projects draw upon agreed allocations of Krishna and Godavari waters based on historical agreements and tribunal awards.

The Minister also requested intervention to secure environmental clearances, which he said are crucial for obtaining low-interest funding from national financial institutions, rather than expensive loans.

The Sammakka Sagar Project (Tupakulagudem Barrage), submitted for approval in 2021, remains stalled due to the pending no-objection certificate from Chhattisgarh. Reddy appealed to Patil for help in convening a consultative meeting with Chhattisgarh to resolve the matter.

Objections to Andhra Pradesh Diversions

Reddy strongly criticised Andhra Pradesh for allegedly constructing unauthorised infrastructure to divert large volumes of Krishna water outside the basin, particularly from the Srisailam reservoir. He claimed that AP’s diversions threaten Telangana’s irrigation and power generation needs and urged the Union government to stop such practices.

He also flagged ongoing disputes before the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II) and called for expedited hearings. Telangana continues to oppose AP’s proposed sharing ratio of 66:34 in favour of AP, instead demanding a 71:29 split, citing basin parameters.

Other Demands

Among other issues, the letter sought:

• Completion of telemetry stations to ensure accurate water accounting.

• Stopping unauthorised lining and expansions of canals by Andhra Pradesh.

• Immediate repair of the plunge pool at Srisailam Dam for structural safety.

• Support for the Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Pranahitha-Chevella project, including increasing its allocation and securing funding.

• Funding and clearance have been secured for the Inchampally project as part of the Godavari–Cauvery interlinking initiative, on par with the Polavaram project.

A Plea for Justice

Concluding his appeal, Reddy said Telangana has historically suffered from irrigation neglect and requested the Centre’s guidance and support in bringing prosperity to its drought-prone regions. He urged Patil to convene a meeting of all stakeholders at the earliest to resolve these outstanding issues.

“This is essential to safeguard the water rights of Telangana and ensure timely benefits to our farmers,” he wrote.