Telangana writes to KRMB seeks 50% share in Krishna waters

ENC writes to river board Chairman to share water equally among AP, TS for 2021-22

Telangana government has requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to share 50% of Krishna waters each on ad hoc basis to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for the current water year (2021-22) by giving priority to in-basin needs till finalisation of KWDT-II award as Telangana is still suffering large distress due to insufficient water. In a letter addressed to Chairman of the river board M.P. Singh, Engineer-in-Chief (General) of Irrigation Department C. Muralidhar stated that based on the parameters such as catchment area, cultivable area, drought-prone area and population Telangana is entitled for 70.8 ratio of Krishna waters against 29.2 for AP. He mentioned that Telangana has put the demand of 771 tmc ft allocation for its in-basin drought-prone areas before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal or Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II. He also recalled that both KWDT-I and KWDT-II have emphasised that priority shall be given to in-basin areas before allowing water to meet needs of outside basin areas and the adjudication by KWDT-II in the matter was in progress.