Krishna River Dispute: Do not make it a political issue

Despite a decade since Andhra Pradesh’s reorganisation, the river water allocation issue, a key factor behind the formation of Telangana, remains unresolved. Neither the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) party, formerly known as TRS party, nor the current Congress Government is trying to address it despite ample time and resources.

The recent developments in February are once again emerging to make this water distribution a major political issue where Congress and BRS are raking up the emotions of farmers before the General Elections, blaming each other and cornering the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Central Government. Simultaneously, the BRS party is trying to deviate people from the grave mistakes being made by them.

In the first week of February, the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agreed to hand over the management of the two common projects – Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar – to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Sensing this positive development as a threat, the BRS held a public meeting in Nalgonda, blaming Telangana Congress and BJP at the Centre accusing them of taking over the State projects, with misleading narratives.

Telangana has got a wonderful opportunity to relook the entire water sharing issue by the decision taken by the Modi Government

Reacting to this, the Telangana Congress Government passed a resolution not to hand over common irrigation projects to Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), though the board doesn’t have any role in the allocation of Krishna River water.

Before this, the Modi Government recommended KWDT-II to relook at the water allocation between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh as per Section-3 of ISRWD Act,1956. In fact with this Cabinet decision, Telangana got an opportunity to take up this issue afresh after almost 47 years, to get its fair share. However, things are not moving in the desired direction.

Chronology of the Issue

Way back in 1976, Bachawat Tribunal awarded Krishna water of 2060 TMC (75 per cent dependability) water to three States – Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh. Since then, there have been many legal disputes between Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka, whether it is the height of Almatti or capacity of Narayanpur reservoir. Simultaneously, the allocation of Krishna river between Telangana region and Andhra Pradesh region by the tribunal also attracted a lot of disputes. In fact, water is one of the three most fundamental issues raked up during the Telangana movement – Neellu (water), Nidhulu (funds) and Niyamakalu (jobs).

The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal – 1 (KWDT-1) stipulated review of the allocation of Krishna water after May 31, 2000. All three States recommended the review of Krishna river allocations in 2000, the Central Government constituted another Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal under the leadership of Shri Brijesh Kumar and the tribunal submitted its report in 2013. The Brijesh Kumar Tribunal had upheld the original allocation of Krishna water among the three States and further estimated the water availability based on 47-year average yield as 2,578 TMC and finally allocated water to Maharashtra – 666, Karnataka – 911, Andhra Pradesh – 1001.

In the AP Reorganisation Act 2014, it is mentioned from Sections 84 to 87 that all the common projects on both Godavari and Krishna rivers must be handed over to the river management boards and allocation of both water and power must be done by the boards. As the water distribution between both States is an utmost important issue, the Act didn’t stipulate a certain period during which the States should come to a consensus. The then UPA Government had passed the Act haphazardly and couldn’t envisage the gravity of the issue and its impact on farmers across both States. The Act should have recommended relook at the Krishna River allocation between Telangana and AP as the entire separate Statehood movement was for this reason.

After a thorough understanding of the aspirations of Telangana farmers, the Modi Government approved Terms of Reference to Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal-II

Immediately after the formation of Telangana, the Union Ministry of Water Resources formed KRMB and GRMB to maintain all the common projects on both rivers. During Apex council meetings in June 2015, an interim ad-hoc agreement was made between the AP and Telangana for the sharing of 811 TMC water in the ratio of 512 TMC (for AP): 299 TMC (for Telangana) based on the earmarked utilisations made by erstwhile AP. This interim agreement was reviewed every year and agreed upon by both governments. KCR Government had completely compromised for less than a fair share in Krishna water in 2015 and continued till he lost elections in 2023.

Crucial Mistakes

• The then BRS (TRS) Government made three crucial mistakes in dealing with Krishna River dispute.
• The then Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao agreed for 299 TMC share in 811 TMC for Telangana, which is very much less than a fair share of at least 50 per cent. He continued this kind of arrangement by stating that Telangana doesn’t have irrigation projects to utilise the stipulated water allocation. He never showed any serious interest to deal with with AP in getting the desired share in Krishna River waters
• KCR laid the foundation stone of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Project (PRLIP) on June 11, 2015 but couldn’t complete the project in nine years of governance. Had it been completed by 2020, the Telangana Government would have had a wonderful chance in front of the Brijesh Kumar tribunal. Now, they may see both PRLIP and RLIS equally
• On October 6, 2021, the Telangana Government withdrew its petition in the Supreme Court for an “equitable apportionment” of Krishna River waters. The Telangana Cabinet has also approved the terms of reference of the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal, which will govern the division of the river water between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana
• The Congress party made a grave mistake of not mentioning the issue of water allocation in the AP Reorganisation Act 2014. After Congress came to power in Telangana in December 2023, it started politicising the issue and trying to polarise the farmers on both sides of the border for their political benefit. As the Central Government issued new terms of reference, the new Government is advised to present the dispute in fresh perspective and try to get at least 50 per cent share from 811 TMC allocated to erstwhile Andhra Pradesh.

The BRS (TRS) party made a series of mistakes:

• Agreeing for 299 (of 811 TMCs)
• Not completed major irrigation projects on Krishna River
• Compromise with AP and overlooked the stealing of Krishna water through
• Pothireddypadu by AP Government

Modi Government’s Terms of Reference

After a thorough understanding of the aspirations of Telangana farmers, the Modi Government approved Terms of Reference to Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal-II under Inter-State River Water Disputes (ISRWD) Act, 1956 on October 4, 2023. The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the issue of further Terms of Reference (ToR) to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II (KWDT-II), under Section 5(1) of the ISRWD Act, for its adjudication between the States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra Pradesh Government has challenged the decision of Government of India to direct KWDT-II to issue further terms of reference in allocation of Krishna waters. Now, the matter is in the honorable Supreme Court and the next hearing is scheduled on March 13, 2024.

Now, the ball is in Chief Minister Revanth Reddy’s court to try to convince the tribunal in the State’s favour. Telangana has got a wonderful opportunity to relook the entire water sharing issue by the decision taken by the Modi Government. The issue, as it stands, has only one solution. Both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments must agree to KWDT-II and get a fair share instead of raking up emotions of farmers for their political benefit.