The Telangana government has requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from executing what it calls the unauthorised Veligonda project, which is intended to divert water outside the basin.
In a letter addressed to the KRMB chairman, Telangana Irrigation and Command Area Development Engineer-in-Chief (General), C Muralidhar, said that it was learnt through a news article dated 21 April in Sakshi Telugu — a daily newspaper — that the Veligonda project tunnel works are progressing at a brisk pace.
According to the letter, the works on head regulator to release water from the Srisailam reservoir to Nallamala Sagar through the first tunnel has been completed.The second tunnel of 5.52 km length is being excavated.
Construction of the project without appraisal of DPR and without obtaining necessary clearances from the statutory bodies for enhancing further the scope of diversion of Krishna waters was in gross violation of the provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, he maintained.
Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has opposed the diversions from the basin and requested the Union Minster for Jal Shakti to take immediate and effective action to stop diversion of Krishna waters through the Pothireddypadu regulator.
Further, during the second apex council meeting, the Union minister had stated that the inter-basin transfer of water can be done only after fulfilling the in-basin needs.
The Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-I (KWDT-I) has not considered any diversion of water from the Srisailam reservoir and stipulated that, in future allocations, in-basin projects be given priority over outside-basin diversions, the letter reminded.
