Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to rein in Telangana from "illegally" drawing water for power generation and sought the deployment of the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) at common reservoirs to protect the state's interests along the Krishna river. "Your kind intervention is sought in this regard and I further request that direction be given to the state of Telangana to stop illegal drawal (siphoning) of water for power generation without water release orders from Krishna River Management Board (KRMB)," Jagan wrote to Modi.
The Chief Minister also marked a copy to Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat and attached letters written by the AP Engineer-in-Chief (Water Resources), the Krishna River Management Board and a Government Order (GO) issued by Telangana. "I also request that necessary immediate action be taken by the Government of India, to notify the jurisdiction of the KRMB and take over all offtakes of common reservoirs with CISF protection and safeguard the interests of the state of AP," Jagan said.
He complained that Telangana's unilateral siphoning of water from Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar and Pulichintala reservoirs will jeopardise the drinking and irrigation needs of four Rayalaseema districts, the districts of Nellore and Prakasam districts, and the drinking water requirement of Chennai city.
According to the Chief Minister, the Telangana government issued an order on Monday to its power department to generate hydro power at 100% installed capacity, which means the neighbouring state will use 4 tmc, 3 tmc and 1.8 tmc water per day from Srisailam, Nagarjuna and Pulichintala reservoirs, respectively.
"In spite of instructions from KRMB not to draw water for power generation, the state of Telangana is unilaterally drawing water for power generation violating the standard operating protocol and agreements," Jagan noted. He called the Telangana government's order to generate power as an "utter disregard of the orders issued by KRMB to stop power generation".
KRMB came into existence as per section 85 of the AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, and is responsible for the administration, regulation, maintenance and operation of water projects such as the contentious three. The Andhra CM also requested Modi that the unauthorised diversion of water by Telangana be accounted for against the agreed allocation of 299 tmc.
Jagan stressed that it was imperative that water release be regulated as per the inflows observed into the reservoirs, available storages and pro-rata entitlements from time to time, as per the agreement and implementation mechanism. Meanwhile, tension prevailed at Nagarjuna Sagar along the Andhra-Telangana border with police authorities of both the states deploying their forces, and a stand off like situation emerging at the scene.