Latest news with #BrijeshKumarTribunal
New Indian Express
26-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana seeks allocation of assured water to drought-prone areas
HYDERABAD: Telangana counsel on Friday explained to the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II) how the lift irrigation schemes are essential for the state and how historically gravity flows were denied to it, compelling it to take up the lift irrigation schemes. The counsel, using maps, explained how the reorganisation of states in 1956 and improper persuasion by the erstwhile AP with Union government and KWDT-I impacted the gravity flows to the tune of 174.3 tmcft to Telangana areas. He also explained how the ongoing projects like Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC), Kalwakurthi LIS, Nettampadu LIS, Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS and Dindi LIS with a total water requirement should be covered under assured water, under 75% dependability. The senior counsel brought to the notice of the Tribunal, the proposal of Karnataka, during earlier proceedings of this Tribunal in 2009-2010 about the issue of resolving the height of the Almatti dam, to facilitate the usage of 60 tmcft by Andhra Pradesh from enhanced storage of Almatti. However, unfortunately the then Andhra Pradesh government denied the proposal and he expressed that if Telangana state existed at that time, it would have got the benefit of this 60 tmcft and would have bargained for more by way of gravity canals from Almatti project. He submitted how the area under Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal (NSLC) in Telangana region was brought down from 6.6 lakh acres to 5.4 lakh acres, duly reducing the water utilisation and simultaneously increasing the areas from 1.3 lakh acres to 3.8 lakh acres, contradicting the Planning Commission Approval of NSP in 1956. He explained the Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS and SLBC projects in detail and also storage reservoirs created under these projects, and also about other ongoing projects. Explaining in detail the status of all the ongoing projects, he also sought allocation of assured water to the most deserved drought-prone and fluoride-affected areas of Telangana within the Krishna basin. The allocation of assured water to Telangana projects will not in any way impact the the Andhra Pradesh as it gets enough water for its projects from the self-yield in other basins and alternate sources, he argued. Telangana's senior counsel concluded his final arguments for this session on Friday. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28 and 29.
The Hindu
25-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana apprises KWDT-II how it was denied gravity flows in Krishna Basin
HYDERABAD Telangana apprised the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II) on Friday how it was historically denied gravity flows in the Krishna Basin and was compelled to take up only the lift irrigation schemes, thus making them essential for the State. Senior counsel appearing for Telangana C.S. Vaidyanathan explained to the Tribunal with the helps of maps how the Reorganisation of States in 1956 had affected the gravity flows to the tune of 174.3 tmc ft to Telangana areas with improper presentation of the case by the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh with the Union Government and KWDT-I. He explained to the Tribunal about the necessity of the ongoing projects such as Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC), Kalwakruthy LIS, Nettempadu LIS, Dindi LIS, Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS and others covered under the assured water category with 75% dependability. He also brought to the notice of the Tribunal about the proposal of Karnataka about resolving the issue of Almatti dam height to facilitate the usage of 60 tmc ft by the combined A.P. with the enhanced storage of Almatti. However, the combined A.P. denied the proposal then (2009-10). If the Telangana State existed at that time, it would have got the benefit of that 60 tmc ft and would have bargained for more by way of gravity canals from Almatti, the counsel for Telangana said. Further, he explained to the Tribunal how the area under Nagarjunasagar Left Canal in Telangana was brought down from 6.6 lakh acres to 5.4 lakh acres duly reducing the water utilisation, contradicting the Planning Commission approval of the project in 1956. Telangana's counsel explained about Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS and SLBC projects in detail and their storage capacities. The status of all other ongoing projects in the Basin in Telangana were also explained with a request for allocation of assured water to the most deserved drought-prone and fluoride-affected areas and also that it would not affect, in any way, water usage in A.P. and added that there was water for everybody's needs but not for the greed. The Tribunal allowed Telangana's plea for two more days to complete its arguments on July 28 and 29.
New Indian Express
25-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Telangana seeks reallocation of Tungabhadra water
HYDERABAD: The final arguments before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal continued on the second day on Thursday, which mainly focused on Andhra Pradesh's Tungabhadra Right Bank Low Level Canal (TBRBLLC) which starts from Tungabadhra dam. Telangana counsel said that the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT-I) has put restriction on utilisation of 29.50 tmcft on TBRBLLC out of which evaporation loss is 5.50 tmcft. KWDT-I imposed restrictions on utilisation of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh at Tungabhadra dam or Tungabhadra sub basin to ensure substantial contribution of flows from western ghats to Krishna river downstream i.e, to Srisailam reservoir. Telangana stated that the overlapping of Rajolibhanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) Right Canal and Guru Raghavendra LIS with TBPRBLLC, emphasising the existence of multiple sources for the same ayacut of TBPRBLLC. The additional utilisation by Guru Raghavendra Lift Irrigation Schemes will allow Andhra Pradesh to utilise more Tungabhadra water, impacting the inflows to Srisailam, thereby depriving utilisations of Telangana projects. Telangana requested that the Guru Raghavendra Lift Irrigation Schemes shall not be allowed any water drawals from Tungabhadra river. The final arguments of Telangana will continue on Friday.
The Hindu
23-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Telangana argues for restriction of diversion for KC Canal system by A.P.
HYDERABAD Telangana has argued before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II, that Andhra Pradesh had increased the utilisation of water for the Kurnool-Cuddapah (KC) Canal system, disregarding the June 1944 agreement between the erstwhile Hyderabad and Madras States and later obtained the same as allocation. Andhra (Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema, including ceded districts that comprised Ballari too) was a part of the Madras State then. Resuming the final arguments before the Tribunal in New Delhi on Wednesday in the matter of Section 3 (ISRWD Act, 1956) reference made for redistribution of Krishna water between the residuary States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh from out of the allocation of 811 tmc ft (assured water) made to erstwhile (combined) AP, Senior Counsel appearing for Telangana C.S. Vaidyanathan said the KC Canal was developed with the consent of erstwhile Hyderabad State (now Telangana). The condition for Hyderabad's consent was that no objections should be raised in future if Hyderabad chose to divert water, the counsel explained and added that the 1944 agreement reached between Hyderabad and Madras States was for diversion of 10 tmc ft water for KC Canal and 17.1 tmc ft for Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) — 15.9 tmc ft for Telangana (Hyderabad) and 1.2 tmc ft for Karnataka (Raichur, then a part of Hyderabad). Further, the counsel for Telangana stated that the same was presented by the Central water and Power commission in the Inter-State Conference, 1951. However, disregarding the 1944 Agreement, A.P. went on to increase the utilisation of KC Canal to 39.9 tmc ft, he submitted to the Tribunal adding that the actual utilisation on an average was 54 tmc ft. Besides, A.P. did not furnish the details of contribution by streams/rivulets such as Nippulavagu, Galeru and Kundu, all tributaries of Penna river, to an extent of 5.2 tmc ft to the command area of KC Canal before the KWDT-I, the counsel for Telangana submitted to the Tribunal (KWDT-II), according to officials of the Telangana Irrigation department who were present at the hearing. The Telangana counsel also explained with the help of maps how three additional sources — Muchumarri-KC Canal lift irrigation scheme, Malyala LIS and Escape Channel through Nippulavagu at Banakacherla — were being used to release water to the KC Canal from Srisailam reservoir in addition from the Sunkesula Barrage, the main source of KC Canal system. These diversions contravene the KWDT-I Award. When the Tribunal enquired about how much quantum of water was being diverted from the Escape Channel, the Telangana counsel explained that A.P. government was objecting to the installation of telemetry equipment at the Banakacherla Cross Regulator complex where the Escape Channel regulator takes off. Unless telemetry was installed at all the regulators at Banakacherla complex, the accounting of releases to KC Canal, SRBC, TGP and others was not possible. The counsel for Telangana further submitted that the availability of water to KC Canal was 45.1 TMC (39.9+ 5.2) and crop water requirement for the area under KC Canal as per the scientific assessment was only 18.51 tmc ft. Thus, there would be a saving of 26.59 tmc ft (45.1-18.51) and it should be allocated to the in-basin projects in Telangana. The Tribunal was pleaded for placing an administrative mechanism to restrict the utilisation of KC Canal to the allocated quantity.
The Hindu
27-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Godavari-Banakacherla project may compromise Andhra Pradesh's rights over Krishna waters, fears thinkers' forum
A thinkers' forum, Alochanaparula Vedika, has urged Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to initiate steps to safeguard the State's water rights over the rivers Krishna and Godavari. It has also voiced its objection to the proposed Godavari–Banakacherla scheme, citing the potential risk to Rayalaseema's access to Krishna waters. In a letter addressed to the Chief Minister on Friday, the vedika members, A.B. Venkateswara Rao, T. Lakshminarayana, Kambhampati Papa Rao, and Akkineni Bhavani Prasad, criticised the government for not conducting inclusive consultations on key inter-basin transfer projects, such as the Polavaram–Banakacherla. 'No transparency' 'The government is functioning without transparency, and is not engaging with the opposition parties, civil society, domain experts, or researchers,' they alleged. They also rejected Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy's demand for allocation of 500 tmc ft of Krishna waters and 1,000 tmc ft of Godavari waters to Telangana. Citing legal precedents, the vedika members reminded that the Bachawat Tribunal (1973) and the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (2013) had already allocated 512.04 tmc ft to Andhra Pradesh and 298.96 tmc ft to Telangana — a settlement accepted by both the States during the first Apex Council meeting, attended by Mr. Naidu and then Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. 'Dangerous precedent' The vedika also expressed concern over Telangana's recent arguments before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal, which attempt to invalidate historic allocations to projects such as the Srisailam Right Branch Canal, KC Canal, and the Krishna Delta. 'This can set a dangerous precedent that may benefit the upper riparian States such as Karnataka and Maharashtra at Andhra Preadesh's expense,' they cautioned. On the Godavari–Banakacherla project, the vedika members alleged political motives behind its conception, linking it to past deals involving former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Mr. Chandrashekar Rao. The project, they feared, would compromise Andhra Pradesh's Krishna water rights, particularly for the drought-hit Rayalaseema. Instead, they proposed alternatives, including accelerating the Polavaram–Somasila interlink, completing the ongoing Rayalaseema projects, and protecting the constitutional and tribunal-based entitlements. 'Any dilution of Andhra Pradesh's water rights will have long-term consequences,' the vedika members cautioned. It urged the State government to uphold the interests of Andhra Pradesh through a non-compromising and legally sound approach.
