BRS alleges Congress government allowing Andhra to draw Krishna water from shared reservoirs

HYDERABAD: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused the Congress government in Telangana, particularly two ministers from the combined Nalgonda district, of permitting Andhra Pradesh to draw water from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs — joint facilities for the two Telugu states — even when these reservoirs have not yet reached surplus levels.

Speaking to media in Nalgonda on Friday, former minister and Suryapet MLA G. Jagadish Reddy claimed that the ministers from Nalgonda were staying silent while Andhra Pradesh was drawing water from the two reservoirs every day. He alleged that the Telangana government was allowing Andhra Pradesh to take water through the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator (PRP-HR), despite the condition that water could be drawn only after Nagarjunasagar became surplus.

Mr. Jagadish Reddy further stated that Andhra Pradesh had impounded all projects and reservoirs in Rayalaseema with Krishna water by diverting it through PRP-HR. He noted that the previous BRS government had supplied water to the Nagarjunasagar ayacut for 17 consecutive seasons, even during periods of lower water levels than the current position, including lift irrigation schemes based on the Sagar Left Canal.

As of Friday morning, the water level in Nagarjunasagar was 532 feet (172 tmc ft) against its full capacity of 590 feet (312 tmc ft). According to Mr. Jagadish Reddy, this was sufficient to provide 30 tmc ft of water to the Left Canal ayacut. He alleged that Andhra Pradesh had already diverted 148 tmc ft of Krishna water, while the Congress government in Telangana had left the Left Canal farmers to their fate.

The BRS leader's remarks come amid ongoing tensions between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over the sharing of Krishna river water. The two states have been locked in a dispute over the utilisation of water from Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs, which were built as joint projects under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. The Act provides for the continuation of existing water-sharing arrangements until a tribunal or a mutually agreed mechanism decides otherwise.

Officials familiar with the matter said that the issue of water releases to Andhra Pradesh is governed by operational protocols and court orders. Neither the Telangana irrigation department nor the two ministers named by Mr. Jagadish Reddy have responded publicly to the allegations so far. Attempts to reach them for comment were unsuccessful.

The Congress government, which came to power in Telangana in December 2023, has not issued an official statement on the matter. In the past, officials have cited the need to adhere to the Krishna River Management Board's instructions while releasing water to Andhra Pradesh.

Water-sharing disputes between the two states have periodically surfaced, particularly during the kharif season when demand is high. The BRS's criticism reflects the politically sensitive nature of water resources in the region, with both parties seeking to position themselves as protectors of farmers' interests.