Ad hoc deal on Krishna water

Hyderabad: An ad hoc arrangement of distribution of Krishna Waters between TS and AP was reached on Thursday after the Centre held a meeting with the concerned Engineering and Administrative officials in Delhi.

According to the arrangement, for the present water year of 2015-16 (June 1 to May 31), of the total 811 TMC ft of water allotted to united AP by the Bachawat Commission,

Telangana is permitted to use 299 TMC ft of Krishna waters and AP can use 512 TMC ft. However, this is a temporary arrangement subject to the actual realisation of waters in the flood flow season.

TS is permitted to use 100 TMC ft of waters from Nagarjunasagar Dam for use in the Left Branch canal and AMRP Lift Scheme besides protective use from Jurala Dam, which is in TS.

Similarly, AP is entitled to use 164 TMC ft from Nagarjunasagar Dam for the Right Branch canal and 181 TMC ft of water from Prakasam barrage for the Krishna delta area under irrigation.

However, the final allocation depends on the outcome of the two Special Leave Petitions filed by TS and AP in Supreme Court, one seeking fresh review of water allotment due to bifurcation of the state  and another seeking a stay on the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal Award due to faulty allocations among riparian states.

Telangana irrigation minister T. Harish Rao said, “We welcome this temporary arrangement, but everything depends on the outcome of the case we filed in Supreme Court, we will not rest till we get our legitimate share in Krishna waters.”