Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has directed officials to take a firm stance in securing the state’s rightful share of Krishna and Godavari river waters. In a high-level review meeting with irrigation officials and legal experts, the Chief Minister emphasised the need for meticulous preparation to present Telangana’s case before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal.
The tribunal is responsible for determining water allocations between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh under the State Reorganisation Act.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to compile all necessary documents, past rulings, and detailed project reports (DPRs) to build a strong argument for Telangana.
Stressing the importance of international water-sharing principles, he pointed out that 70% of the Krishna basin lies in Telangana, yet Andhra Pradesh has been benefiting disproportionately.
“Telangana deserves its fair share of Krishna waters, which should be 70% of the 1005 TMC, based on basin area,” Revanth Reddy said.
He also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s utilisation of 80 TMC of Godavari water for the Krishna Delta via the Polavaram project, asserting that Telangana is entitled to 45 TMC in return. He directed officials to ensure this allocation is utilised through upstream projects.
The Chief Minister questioned the decisions of the Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards (KRMB and GRMB) in the absence of a final tribunal verdict. He suggested raising this issue in the Supreme Court and argued against board interventions until water allocations are finalised.
During the meeting, officials presented concerns over Andhra Pradesh’s diversion of excess Krishna waters. Revanth Reddy was briefed on plans to implement telemetry systems for real-time monitoring of water flows, estimated to cost Rs 12 crore.
Telangana is prepared to bear the initial cost, with reimbursement from Andhra Pradesh to be pursued later.
Revanth Reddy also reviewed major irrigation projects, including Srisailam, Pothireddypadu, Telugu Ganga, and Handri-Neeva, instructing officials to account for water usage and stop any misuse.
He ordered speedy approval for the Sitarama and Sammakka Barrage projects to ensure irrigation for Telangana’s command areas.
The Chief Minister directed officials to prepare a comprehensive report detailing the state’s historical losses in water allocations since its formation in 2014. This report will form the basis for arguments before the tribunal and other forums.
The meeting was attended by Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, legal advisors, and senior officials, including the CM’s Principal Secretary Sheshadri and Irrigation Department Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja.
