KRMB Meeting: Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Discuss Water Use at Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar

The three-member committee of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) held a meeting at Jalasoudha in Hyderabad with the KRMB Member Secretary and the Engineer-in-Chiefs of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh participating. The meeting focused on water utilisation from the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects.

Considering the prevailing El Niño conditions, the committee reached an in-principle decision to restrict water utilisation to drinking water requirements. Telangana Engineer-in-Chief Ramesh Babu said the state proposed that drinking water be shared in a 50:50 ratio. Telangana also complained that Andhra Pradesh had drawn more water through the Pothireddypadu head regulator.

Andhra Pradesh Engineer-in-Chief Narasimha Murthy said the state had sought 47 TMC of water for drinking purposes and that the request was agreed to in principle. However, he said Telangana had placed a proposal covering water utilisation for the entire year, while Andhra Pradesh had requested that the arrangement be considered until October.

The issue of the overall water share between the two states was not discussed at the meeting. The committee will meet again on September 4 to discuss drinking water requirements. The states will consider further utilisation if additional inflows are received in the future.