Power generation at Sagar benefits AP too

HYDERABAD: There appears to be a 'truce' between the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh states over utilising Krishna river waters with the former stopping hydro-power generation at Srisailam for the time being.

But the stoppage may be temporary as there are no mutually agreed operational guidelines and protocols over sharing of the river water and power production.

The Telangana government stopped hydro-electricity generation at Srisailam on November 3 and started generating it at Nagarjunasagar on the left bank canal which would also benefit Andhra Pradesh.

'The Krishna delta is receiving irrigation water when Telangana releases water from NSP after power generation,' an official in the irrigation department of Andhra Pradesh said, adding, 'We have no problems right now with TS. It is a truce between the two states.'

The water level in the Srisailam reservoir is 857 ft and AP is drawing water only for the right bank canal. No water is required for KC Canal and Telugu Ganga from Srisailam, he claimed. The draw of water from Srisailam by AP is nominal now.

But the row seems to have subsided only temporarily as such disputes may arise in future over sharing of water as there are no operational guidelines and protocols, which are acceptable to both AP and TS.

TS is opposing different GOs issued in the combined AP state and the present AP government quoting select GOs which serve its purpose.

According to official sources, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) sent draft operational guidelines to both states. The draft was under the examination of AP irrigation minister D Uma Maheswara Rao.

The KRMB said in its recent order that it was brought to its notice that for the operation rules of Srisailam, the erstwhile AP government had issued different GOs. The Telangana government thinks that these rules warranted modification due to bifurcation of the state.

KRMB officials said that for updating the existing operational rules, a careful study and analysis of data regarding crop water management and other water use has to be made in consultation with both the states.

As a prelude to finalisation of fresh operational guidelines, the board wanted principal secretaries of both the states to sit together and come to an understanding. The principal secretaries will meet and send their opinions on the draft to the board. If there are any objections from either side, the KRMB would resolve them.

Officials of the two states may request KRMB to define 'flood waters' to make it uniform for all the projects. Whether the water level in a reservoir will be taken into account or not remains to be seen.