NEWS IMPACT The final judgment of the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal allowing Karnataka to increase the height of Almatti dam appears to have dealt a blow to Andhra Pradesh. Though on paper the state was allocated the “highest share” of the waters of the Krishna river, irrigation experts pointed that the gain is notional as it has been worked out on the basis of an erroneous calculation of yearly river yields.
INN Live published the series of stories in these columns sometime back 'Jalayagnam News Reports', the impact is in the verdict. The verdict is perceived to be harmful to the interests of the state though on paper the tribunal has allotted 1,005 TMC to AP, that is 195 TMC more than what was allocated by the Bachawat Tribunal award earlier.
Finding fault with the tribunal's assessment of yields on the basis of 65% dependability (sure yearly river water yields in 65 of 100 years) spread over a “shorter period” of 47 years, irrigation experts said the verdict might spell the end of the second crop in the Krishna delta.
While the Bachawat Tribunal calculations were on the basis of yields of a longer period of 78 years at 75% dependability, the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal opted for 65% that has changed the dynamics of water sharing between the three states. AP fought for 75% dependability with reckoning of the yields for 112 years in Krishna basin. But it was rejected by the tribunal.
“When the height of the Almatti dam is 519.6 meters, AP is receiving inflows only in July and August. If the height is allowed to be increased, the inflows will get further delayed leading to loss of one crop season in the Krishna delta,” pointed out experts. Experts D Veeriah, CVLN Sashtry and Y Nagendranath feel that the delay in the inflows into Srisailam from Almatti is imminent as the increase of height of Almatti will impound more than 200 TMC water against the present 123 TMC ft.
This would mean the state reservoirs would have to wait till September and October. According to the crop cycle, the months of October and November are vulnerable to cyclones and would normally result in the loss of one crop season. Now, due to the increase in the height of Almatti dam farmers in more than 14 lakh acres of the Krishna delta have to sacrifice the kharif season as there will be a delay in the release of water from Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar and Prakasham barrage.
At the same time, AP’s freedom to utilize surplus waters has been also curtailed and the limitation puts in peril seven ongoing projects built using 227 TMC at a cost of Rs 40,000 crore with an ayacut of 24 lakh acres. These include Srisailam Left Branch Canal, Kalwakurthy, Nettampadu, Hundri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari, Valigonda, and Telugu Ganga projects.
“As per earlier definition, over and above 2130 TMC in a year was called surplus water. Now that has been changed to 2578 TMC which makes water availability for projects taken up under Jalayaganam near impossible,” said an official .
All parties except Congress flayed the state government. Telangana leaders said they would appeal for setting up of a new tribunal after formation of Telangana .
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