Telangana is still fighting for its water 10 years after breaking away from Andhra Pradesh
At the heart of the water-sharing issue lies the Krishna river, which flows through Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Maharashtra, and Karnataka. Telangana and Andhra Pradesh share two dams built on the river—the Srisailam dam and the Nagarjunasagar dam.
More than 10 years after its separation from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana is still fighting for its rightful share of water.
A dispute over Nagarjunasagar dam water-sharing led to a face-off between the two states' police in November 2023. As Telangana officials were busy with elections, police and irrigation department officials in Andhra Pradesh released more than 2,000 cusecs of water—beyond the state's share.
The 2023 incident exemplified how Andhra Pradesh has repeatedly used more than its allocated share of water. The people of Telangana have suffered due to these inequalities, which should have ended after bifurcation when the state gained control over its resources.
To ensure that Andhra Pradesh and Telangana adhere to the water-sharing ratio of 66:34, the central government set up the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), which comprises officials from the two states as well as central officials. It should have been smooth sailing with the KRMB taking over the duties of water-sharing, but the issue remains unresolved.
Also read: Two Telugu states, one river — why Andhra & Telangana are fighting it out over the Krishna
Political rivalry complicates water disputes
The water-sharing battle is as much political as it is technical. When K Chandrashekar Rao (KCR) became Telangana's first chief minister, his contemporary was Telugu Desam Party (TDP) chief N Chandrababu Naidu in Andhra Pradesh. The two leaders were at odds—Naidu not only had to share the capital Hyderabad but was also running Andhra Pradesh from Telangana, as Hyderabad remained the joint capital for 10 years post-bifurcation.
What added to the tension was the fact that KCR was once a TDP member who quit the party in 2001 to form the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (now Bharat Rashtra Samithi). His former boss had become his political rival.
When YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) chief Jagan Mohan Reddy won in Andhra Pradesh in 2019, there seemed hope for better relations. KCR, being anti-Naidu, began warming up to Jagan. Both leaders held meetings, and it appeared Telangana and Andhra Pradesh would finally get along.
But the honeymoon was short-lived—and the reason was water. Andhra Pradesh decided to use 3 TMC of water from the Srisailam dam without informing the KRMB or Telangana, thus ending any prospect of collaboration between the two states.
Telangana seeks larger share
After bifurcation in 2014, the BRS government under former chief minister KCR sought a higher share of water from the Krishna river—demanding a 50:50 ratio instead of the current 66:34 split favouring Andhra Pradesh. The matter was taken to the Brijesh Kumar disputes tribunal and remains pending.
'The issue has always been with AP officials releasing more water from our side without informing us. Telangana is a new state and we need more water, especially since we have major projects like Kaleshwaram,' an official from the Telangana irrigation department said.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh has undertaken several major projects, including the Polavaram national irrigation project on the Godavari river. Located near Ramayampet village in West Godavari district, the project aims to irrigate 75.38 lakh acres and supply 7.32 TMC of drinking water to Visakhapatnam city.
With Congress now in power in Telangana—a party historically at odds with the TDP—an amicable solution between the two states seems unlikely. The only way forward is for the KRMB to do its job and ensure both states receive their rightful share of water.
Yunus Lasania is a Hyderabad-based journalist whose work primarily focuses on politics, history and culture. He tweets @YunusLasania. Views are personal.
(Edited by Prashant)
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