Decency not at the cost of State:Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

Decency not at the cost of State

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

This is with reference to Communications Adviser to AP Government Parakala Prabhakar’s unwarranted and baseless statement in which he blamed Telangana State Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao. Prabhakar alleged that that KCR had crossed all the limits of decency in criticising the Government of AP for its commitment to honour the GO 69 and GO 107 related to water utilization of Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs. He also, without any basis blamed that the state of Telangana is “violating the GOs”.

But the Communications Adviser to AP Government had forgotten that the Srisailam Project was conceived and built exclusively for the purpose of power generation and the very name of the project is Srisailam Hydel Power Project suggested this. The subsequent GOs namely, GO 233 in addition to GO 69 and GO 107 were issued to protect the vested interests of the AP Region of the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh and to cause immense damage to Telangana. He should also know, as a communications expert, that decency cannot be maintained at the cost of the Telangana State’s interests in general and its people in particular.

Controversy over Srisailam whether it is to be called as a Hydel Project or a project meant exclusively for drinking water and irrigation had become topic of the day. Way back in 1960, to meet the power requirements in different parts of the country, the planning commission contemplated Hydel projects all over the country including the Srisailam. The project when conceived, envisaged 900 MW of power generation through left canal and 770 MW through the right canal. Thus the project was exclusively meant for Hydel power production. Accordingly, not even a drop of water was meant for other purposes when the project was originally conceived.

In 1981, the project started generating electricity. The water used from the reservoir for the generation of electricity flows ultimately into the Nagarjunasagar dam and as a result the water was not wasted. In other words, the Srisailam project was used as a balancing reservoir for the Krishna waters. The Telangana State had come into existence on June 2, 2014 and the state continued to face adverse effects of the United Andhra Pradesh’s policies even today.  It requires a serious and thorough analysis of several issues on Srisailam waters and the corresponding power production. What had surfaced now about the Srisailam Hydel Power Project is nothing but a tip of the ice berg of the injustices being meted out to the people in the Telangana region for ages.

Even a primary school going kid understands that the acute power shortage being faced in Telangana State now was due to the lopsided policies of the Congress and the TDP in the then united Andhra Pradesh State. Both the Congress and TDP are directly responsible for the state of affairs as far as power sector is concerned in Telangana state now. Not even a single MW of additional power was generated in the Telangana region during the 20 year-old misrule of both the Congress and TDP governments. Against this backdrop, the state of Telangana came into existence.

Despite all out efforts by the Telangana Government there is still, a power shortage in the state. If the power is not supplied in time to the farmers continuously and particularly when the crop is about to be harvested, then it will have an adverse effect on them.  This will ultimately lead to shortage of food grains production.  On an average, the demand per day in the Telangana state is to the tune of 6,800 MW. Taking into consideration the actual production capacity as well as the central share of power, on an average, the availability of power is only to the tune of about 4,500 MW.  To overcome the shortage, the Telangana Government is purchasing power on a daily basis, through power exchange averaging about 760 MW.  Despite this, there is still shortage of power.  The available Hydel power in Telangana is about 1000 MW. Out of this, 700 to 800 MWs is from Srisailam alone. For the Telangana state this is of paramount importance.

The Andhra Pradesh Government is putting forward an argument that water levels in Srisailam reservoir are falling down. It is also arguing that priority should be given to drinking and irrigated water.  This is a baseless argument.  It may be true that from out of the available water priority should be given to drinking and irrigation water.  However, it is a fact that in our country some projects are built exclusively for power production.  Srisailam is one among them. Srisailam has been designed exclusively for the power production.   When the project was conceived and built not even a single TMC of water was allocated for irrigation.  Later, an argument was put forward that river Krishna frequently gets floods, excess water is available there and flood water is in abundance. In support of this argument and for utilising all this water, the then State Government planned to construct projects.  Accordingly the concept of right to utilise excess water from Srisailam has come.  Subsequently keeping aside the concept of excess water, flood waters and wrongly interpreting an argument has slowly evolved that Srisailam is an irrigation project. Finally with that as a basis the water allotment has been taking place.

It was decided to allocate water from Srisailam reservoir to different projects.  As per the decision, 19 TMCs for KC Canal and 15 TMCs for Telugu Ganga are to be given from Srisailam reservoir which means in all 34 TMCs of water had to go to Andhra region. Similarly 25 TMCs to Kalwakurthy, 20 TMCs to Bheema, 22 TMCs to Nettampadu and 30 TMCs to SLBC, totally 97 TMCs to the entire Telangana had been allotted.  However during the Seemandhra rule Telangana projects did not take shape.  Telangana could never utilise 97 TMCs of water. Though it is only 34 TMCs of water allocated to Andhra, they built projects like Pulichintala, Pothireddypadu and Hundriniva and illegally diverted Srisailam waters to these projects.  This exploitation is still going on. Telangana could not use even the water on which it had a right.  The Andhras though have no right, are using Srisailam reservoir water.  This year also Andhra Pradesh Government has illegally diverted 60 TMCs of Srisailam water.  In Telangana not even 10 TMCs of water was utilised for irrigation projects. Projects that are required for utilising the water have not been completed.

Following bifurcation of the state, Srisailam had become a common project for both AP and Telangana states, both having their right. In other words each state should respect the right of the other state. Telangana by virtue of its right can produce 900 MW of electricity through left canal. Even while using the right the state has never exceeded the limit of its allocation as stipulated in GOs that previous governments issued namely GO 69, GO 107 and GO 233. In fact in Krishna waters Telangana share as decided by Tribunal is 261.9 TMCs and out of this 184.9 is assured waters and 77 is surplus waters. So far from all sources Telangana utilized hardly 75.67 TMCs only. At this rate may be another 26 TMC of water might be required up to Kharif Crop.

As per GO No. 107 it is stipulated that there has to be 854 feet of water in Srisailam reservoir.  In-fact the Chandrababu Government had issued GO No. 69 stipulating that it is enough if there is 834 ft of water in the reservoir.  The Telangana Government has not violated either of these GOs.  In Srisailam reservoir even now the water level is 857 TMCs. Daily for the purpose of power production some amount of water is being utilised.  There is nothing wrong in it.  In the view of Government of AP and that of Krishna water management board, preference has to be given for irrigation purposes.  Let us agree for a while this view also. Then why Telangana is utilising Srisailam reservoir water? It is only for power production. Then, why the power production? It is again for providing water for irrigation to the farmers.  There are no projects in Telangana for utilising the water allocated to it.  What all that the Telangana has is irrigation by bore wells only.  Only when there is power, there is water. Through motors about 500 TMCs of water comes under irrigation. Through the pump sets only about 40 lakh acres of land is being cultivated.  Through the small quantity of water that Telangana is drawing from Srisailam reservoir, several times to that quantity of water could be provided for irrigation to the lands. 

Telangana is producing power by using the same water.  Hence it has to be construed that the water drawn from Srisailam is for the purpose of irrigation only.  As such the condition of 854 ft should also be withdrawn. Both AP Government and Krishna water management board say that the river water should be utilised for irrigation purpose, which Telangana also endorses.  Up to the level 834ft of water, the Telangana should have the right to utilise. Both AP Government and Krishna Board should think objectively.  One more issue here is, that, the existing projects, the water allocation as well as their managements are all decided in United Andhra Pradesh Government.  Those governments did not think of the needs of the Telangana farmers and acted partially.  Everything was viewed through Seemandhra angle.  Even for providing drinking water for Hyderabad and Telangana, there was partiality.  Hence, Telangana Government has requested the board to re-review the entire issue of Krishna water allocation and utilisation. They also agreed to the request. There are going to be changes in allocations.  Till such time to save the crops of Telangana farmers, it should have the right to utilise the Srisailam water up to the level of 834 ft.  The water utilised by Telangana for the purpose of power production could be accounted for in Telangana quota.  Andhra Pradesh Government should not have hatred towards Telangana farmer and make them suffer.

AP Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s proposal that he would supply 300 MWs of power, if Telangana stops production at the Srisailam is ridiculous. This is misleading.  The reason is, only when 800 MWs of power is produced it becomes possible to provide the farmer with 5 to 6 Hrs of supply every day. Foregoing this and accepting 300 MWs of power means supplying power not even for 4 hrs.  Telangana does not want the mercy of AP. It wants its right to be upheld.  As per that right the state demands 54 percent of power.  The state also wants its share in all the power production centres where ever it is eligible including Krishnapatnam.