Krishna Board decision on Srisailam today

HYDERABAD: The governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh will have to wait till Friday for the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to give its decision on the contentious issue of Telangana state generating power at Srisailam. The Board will email its decision from Delhi before 11 am on Friday.

The message will be circulated to both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana and it is binding on both the states.

The issue, however, is unlikely to end with the Board's decision as both the states are saying that they will approach other forums if the decision does not come in their favour. Telangana state said it will continue power generation at Srisailam even if the KRMB directs them stop.

At the meeting held here on Thursday, Telangana officials maintained that they would generate power below 854 feet at Srisailam and the same was vehemently opposed by AP officials.

Hearing both sides, KRMB chairman SKG Pandit rushed to Delhi immediately after the meeting to discuss with experts in the Central Water Commission (CWC). He will send the Board's viewpoint by Friday 11 am.

It may be recalled that the Board proposed a compromise formula for both AP and TS at the working group meeting on Wednesday. As per the formula, the Telangana state should stop power generation at Srisailam and produce power from NSP from November 3.

When power generation is stopped at Srisailam, the required water level would be maintained so that water could be released to Rayalaseema region. This way, both the states could benefit.

At Thursday's KRMB meeting, Telangana officials reiterated their stand and said they would generate power from Srisailam as they are badly in need of power to save standing crops and will not stop it at any cost.

According to sources, Telangana irrigation advisor R Vidyasagar Rao explained the origin of Srisailam project, Bachawat award and all the GOs issued by erstwhile AP government.

Sources added that the Board noted that Telangana generated power without informing the Board. Telangana officials categorically stated that they need not maintain Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL) at Srisailam.

Srisailam Project

During his presentation, Vidayasagar Rao recalled that originally Srisailam was meant for power generation. Its name was Srisailam Hydro Electric Project. As a part of the 'conspiracy' by erstwhile AP government, the name was changed and the project is being used for irrigation. 'In future, the project may be renamed as Srisailam multi-purpose project,' Vidyasagar Rao said.

Principal secretary (irrigation, AP) Adityanath Das said they would counter all the arguments of Telangana later with evidence. On the issue of maintaining MDDL at Srisailam, Telangana state should follow the existing operational rules and GOs, Das reportedly said.

Das wanted the Board to take a decision and announce it immediately as there was no unanimity among AP and TS officials on the compromise formula suggested by the Board.

Responding to this, chairman Pandit said the Board would e-mail its viewpoint in the first hour on Friday.

'If the Board decision is not acceptable to us, we will approach the Central government,' an official from AP told Express after the meeting.

The Telangana officials are of the same view and wanted to approach the apex council on irrigation, which includes chief ministers of both AP and TS. Union water resources minister is the chairman of the council.

'We are at the receiving end. Telangana state did not inform the Board about generating power at Srisailam,' an official from AP argued.

Both states have to abide by the Board's decision or they may challenge it at the Central government level.