Centre tells Telangana, Andhra govt to stop projects on Krishna & Godavari over objections

Amid the water tussle between the two Telugu states - Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, on Saturday, wrote to both chief ministers telling them to stop all development projects on Godavari and Krishna rivers where the other government has raised objections. The Centre has urged the CMs to proceed with these projects only after receiving the sanction of the Apex Council constituted under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA) 2014. Telangana CM K Chandrashekhara Rao and Andhra Pradesh CM Jagan Mohan Reddy, who share a close camaraderie, have raised objections to several projects by the other on the rivers.

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What are the projects objected by the Telugu states?

Reddy has raised objections to seven projects of the Telangana government on Godavari river with the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), citing it violated the APRA 2014. As per the letter written to Rao by Shekhawat, Reddy has raised objections to Kaleshwaram LIS, GLIS Phase-3, Sita Rama LIS, Tupakulagedum, Telangana Drinking Water Supply Project, Barrages on Lower Penganga River, Ramappa Lake to Pakhal Lake Diversion projects by the KCR government - stating they were new projects. Centre has asked Rao to stop work on these projects until sanction is provided by the Apex Council

Meanwhile, Rao has objected to Jagan government's proposal to utilize 8 TMC of water per day from Srisailam reservoir on Krishna river and the Rayalseema Lift Scheme with the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Centre has pointed out as the second meeting of the Apex Council was cancelled, it should be convened at the earliest to resolve the issues. Moreover, the Centre has directed both governments to submit detailed project reports to GRMB and KRMB respectively.

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Krishna-Godavari water tussle

Krishna - India's second-biggest river, flowing West-East, originates in Maharashtra's Mahabaleshwar, flows through Karnataka, Telangana and then Andhra Pradesh before joining the bay of Bengal.  Prior to the Andhra's bifurcation, the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT) allocated 81 thousand million cubic feet (TMC ft) of surplus water to Maharashtra, 177 TMC ft to Karnataka and only 196 TMC ft to Andhra Pradesh. Post-bifurcation, Andhra challenged the order asking to include Telangana as a separate party and that the allocation of Krishna waters be reworked among four states, instead of three.

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The Godavari river dispute is between Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, and Karnataka. As per the Godavari Water Dispute Tribunal, each state was free to utilise the flow in the Godavari and its tributaries up to a certain level. Then, Andhra decided to divert 80 TMC ft of Godavari water from Polavaram to Krishna river, to share with Karnataka and Maharashtra. Post-Andhra bifurcation, the Polavaram project became the bone of contention between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. While Andhra aims to fulfill of the irrigation needs of the Godavari districts, Telangana fears it would submerge its Khammam district.