A.P. rejects Telangana’s demand for 50:50 sharing of Krishna waters

The Andhra Pradesh government has asserted that the proposed diversion of 200 tmc ft of flood and surplus water from Polavaram project will not harm the upper riparian States, while urging the Central Water Commission (CWC) to issue clear guidelines on the allocation of the remaining waters in the Krishna and Godavari river basins.

A crucial meeting of the CWC was held in New Delhi on Friday to review the water-sharing issues between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, with a focus on allocations of the Krishna and Godavari waters.

The meeting was chaired by the CWC Chairman and attended by senior CWC officials, committee members from both States, and representatives of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB).

The A.P. government presented its agenda through the CWC, focusing on the key features of the proposed Polavaram– Banakacherla Link Scheme and the status of its submission of the Preliminary Feasibility Report (PFR).

Telangana representatives raised objections to granting permissions for the Polavaram–Banakacherla link project, questioning how A.P. could be allowed to utilise floodwaters through the scheme.

In response, A.P. officials clarified that the project was designed exclusively to divert surplus and floodwaters that would otherwise flow wastefully into the sea, and only after upper riparian States had fully exercised their lawful water entitlements.

A.P. also raised objections regarding the allocation of 968 tmc ft of Godavari waters to Telangana projects, noting that such allocation had not been properly quantified or finalised under the Godavari Water Disputes Tribunal (GWDT) award, a point acknowledged by the CWC.

A.P. also firmly rejected Telangana’s demand for a 50:50 sharing of the Krishna waters, stating that the proposal was contrary to the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal awards and Apex Council decisions, during the first meeting of the inter-State water disputes committee chaired by the CWC Chairman.

The CWC informed the committee that in view of objections raised by Telangana, the proposal was currently under examination.

At the meeting, the CWC Chairman agreed to Telangana’s request that both States submit their principal agenda items in advance for the next round of discussions.