Krishna Board pulls plug on Telangana

HYDERABAD: The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) ordered Telangana to stop power generation at Srisailam by November 2, further aggravating the disputes between Andhra Pradesh and TS.

The order pleased AP to no end. On the other hand, the TS government contended that the Board overstepped its limits and described it as a unilateral decision taken under 'political pressure'.

In its order, which was intimated to both AP and TS states late on Thursday evening, KRMB wanted TS to use 3 tmcft water up to November 2 for power generation.

This implied that the TS government would be further hard pressed for power which it needs now very badly as kharif crop under borewells is in an advanced stage. The government is buying power at an exorbitant price from outside to meet the farm sector's requirement.

Immediately after the order, TS Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao held an emergency meeting at Secretariat with Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and other officials.

Later, Harish Rao said they would consult legal experts and decide the future course of action. As TS has time up to November 2, it could generate power for two more days. In the meantime, TS officials will consult the advocate general.

Once power generation at Srisailam is stopped, TS would face power crisis and the standing crops could wither away. TS was not getting its due share of 54 per cent power from the combined power generation of both the States as per the AP Reorganisation Act, officials said. It remains to be seen whether TS would start generating hydel power at Nagarjunasagar Project to tide over the crisis.

Asked whether they would honour the Board's order, Harish Rao was evasive. He said the Board had no right to distribute water, as it's the work of the Tribunal.

Distribution of waters should be done with the mutual agreement of both the States, he contended. 'We are not getting our share in power as per the Act. We have lodged several complaints with the Centre. But, there was no response,' Harish Rao said.

The Board decision also took a political colour. Harish Rao alleged that under the influence of AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu, the BJP-led Central government had done injustice to Telangana.

But the order has gladdened AP. 'We are happy that the Board considered our pleas and directed Telangana to stop power generation', a senior official said.

'The Board's order is binding on both the states. We hope that Telangana will comply with the order. If it fails to do so, we will lodge a complaint again with KRMB, which is an empowered board,' said an official from AP.

The dispute arose when TS, to save standing crops, began generating power at Srisailam. The generation of power means releasing water from Srisailam, which was opposed by AP as the decrease in levels below 854 feet would deny water to farmers under SRBC and KC Canal in Rayalaseema region.