It was exactly a year ago, on July 15 in 2021, the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) issued a gazette notification notifying the purview of Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards (KRMB and GRMB) constituted under the provisions of Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act. There’s not much headway in that direction even after a year.
The only progress made in the matter is the consensus between the two member States, AP and Telangana, on handing over Peddavagu project located in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district by Telangana as it has some ayacut in AP too. Telangana has refused to hand over any other project in its territory on the grounds that water shares of the two States were yet to be finalised by the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
On the other hand, AP has come forward to hand over the management of one of the two joint projects, Srisailam, along with the right bank hydel station controlled by it, provided Telangana agrees to hand over the left bank hydel station there, Nagarjunasagar project and its hydel station and hydel station at Pulichintala controlled by Telangana.
The two States have not even finalised the staff to be deputed to the river boards for the management of projects, depositing ₹400 crore each seed money by the two States with ₹200 crore each for the two river boards by each member State.
The river boards have also failed to strike a consensus between the two States even in the matter of finalising the rule curve for projects, particularly Srisailam and Nagarajunasagar.
Unable to make any headway, MoJS has extended time till October 14 for sorting out issues and start taking projects under their management. “The way the boards’ officials and MoJS are dealing with genuine and just issues raised by us (Telangana), it’s unlikely that there’d be much progress in the matter this water year too. They (KRMB) have decided to continue with the ad hoc sharing arrangement of 66 (AP):34 (TS) without our consent and it’s not acceptable at all to us”, a senior official of the Irrigation Department unwilling to be quoted said.
Even the issues such as shifting of KRMB to AP and release of budget for regular functioning of the two river boards are also not settled so far. “They (AP) want to interfere with the management of our hydel stations through the river board (KRMB) overlooking the fact that diversion of huge water from Srisailam to non-basin areas of AP goes on every season without any approval of award”, he pointed out.
