Krishna Board ‘sees’ AP project as new

The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has asked the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately furnish the detailed project report (DPR) of the proposed irrigation facility to utilise six to eight thousand million cubic feet of water every day from the Srisailam reservoir.

The Telangana government has objected to the facility. The KRMB, contrary to the contention of the AP government, seems to have taken the stand that it is a new project and that the board needs to intervene.

KRMB member Harikesh Meena wrote a letter to Adityanath Das, special chief secretary, irrigation, asking the AP governemnt to furnish its views on the letter written by his Telangana counterpart Rajat Kumar complaining against the administrative sanction accorded to various activities near Pothireddypadu head regulator by the AP government. The KRMB member invoked the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 and quoted 85 (8) (d) which states that the functions of the board included making an appraisal of any proposal for construction of new projects on the Krishna and the Godavari and giving technical clearance

“after satisfying that such projects do not negatively impact the availability of water as per the awards of the Tribunals.”

The KRMB also referred to Para 7 of the 11th Schedule of the Act which prohibits AP and Telangana state from taking up new projects without obtaining sanction from the apex council.

“All such proposals shall be first apprised and technically cleared by the respective Board, before sanction by the apex council,” it says.

Mr Meena said his letter that AP did not respond to its earlier letter on February 5 and a reminder on May 13 with regard to the complaints made by the Telangana state government against installation of pumps near Sangameshwar to lift 3 tmc ft every day into the Srisailam Right Bank Canal and enhancement of diversion capacity of Pothireddypadu to 80,000 cusecs and that of the carrying capacity of canals in Pennar basin.