Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are set for a fresh confrontation over Krishna water sharing and related river-management issues, with meetings of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) scheduled for October 26 and October 30 respectively. The discussions come as lower reservoir inflows and storage levels are adding pressure to water management in Telangana, particularly in the Krishna basin.
The two states continue to disagree over how water from the Krishna and Godavari river systems should be allocated. A recent meeting of a three-member committee established to address their water-sharing disputes ended without consensus, leaving the unresolved allocation question for the KRMB meeting later this month.
Andhra Pradesh is maintaining that the existing 66:34 sharing ratio should continue. Telangana is contesting that position and arguing that allocations should reflect the larger share of the Krishna basin located within its territory. It is seeking a revised 70:30 ratio.
The disagreement is not limited to the allocation formula. Telangana has alleged that Andhra Pradesh has been drawing more than its allocated share of water and has not complied with a KRMB direction to install telemetry systems. Such systems are intended to measure water withdrawals and provide data for monitoring inter-state water use.
The states are also expected to raise objections relating to projects and water usage at the KRMB meeting. The board’s discussions will therefore cover both the broader allocation dispute and the mechanisms used to track withdrawals from shared water resources.
Water availability has added urgency to the negotiations. The report said Telangana is expected to face difficulties from the impact of El Nino this year, with poor inflows and storage levels reported in reservoirs in both the Krishna and Godavari basins. Conditions in the Krishna basin are described as particularly concerning, while the Godavari basin is reported to be in a comparatively less worrisome position despite inflows being below earlier levels.
For cities, towns and rural settlements dependent on reservoirs and river-linked systems, the dispute has implications beyond inter-state administration. Reservoir storage, release decisions and the measurement of withdrawals influence the availability of water for households, agriculture and other uses. The absence of agreement also places greater importance on the river boards’ ability to establish reliable data and enforce directions.
At the GRMB meeting on October 30, Telangana is expected to raise concerns over flooding caused by backwaters from Andhra Pradesh’s Polavaram project. Telangana has raised the issue on several previous occasions, according to the report. The complaint brings flood impacts and project operations into the same institutional forum as the wider discussion on Godavari water management.
The immediate decisions and positions emerging from the KRMB and GRMB meetings will determine the next stage of discussions over allocation ratios, telemetry compliance, project-related water use and the management of backwater impacts. Both states are preparing to present their respective positions at the scheduled meetings.
