Telangana Seeks Limits on A.P.’s Water Diversion for KC Canal

Fast Summary

• Telangana has argued before the Brijesh Kumar Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal-II that Andhra Pradesh has increased water usage for the KC Canal system, allegedly violating a 1944 agreement between Hyderabad and Madras States.
• The 1944 agreement allocated 10 tmc ft water to KC Canal and set limits on diversion of Krishna river water while allowing Hyderabad State (now Telangana) future rights for its own diversions.
• According to Telangana’s counsel, A.P. raised usage levels first to 39.9 tmc ft (against the originally agreed 10 tmc) and later averaged at around 54 tmc ft annually, exceeding allocations under KWDT-I guidelines.
• Allegation was made that A.P.’s utilization includes contributions from small tributaries like Nippulavagu, Galeru, and Kundu but no proper accounting of their data was provided before KWDT-I by Andhra Pradesh.
• Additional channels such as Muchumarri-KC Canal lift irrigation scheme were presented as contravening allocations under KWDT-I. Accounting issues are compounded due to Andhra Pradesh’s resistance toward telemetry installations meant for tracking exact usage at banakacherla regulators.
• Telangana highlighted scientific assessments showing crop irrigation needs in KC Canal area require only a total of 18.51 tmc ft annually compared with allocated/utilized quantities; they proposed redirecting surplus allocation (26.59 tmc ft) within basin projects benefiting its own region.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The ongoing legal dispute over Krishna river water allocation underscores inter-state complexities in sharing natural resources when historical agreements intersect with modern demands. Telangana’s argument hinges on adhering strictly to past allocations while advocating redistribution based on scientific requirements assessments.

If proven accurate, excess utilization by Andhra Pradesh could underscore inefficiencies or systemic gaps in regional resource governance related to crop irrigation planning versus actual consumption metrics. The insistence on installing telemetry equipment exemplifies growing calls for transparency in inter-state river management-essential for preventing overuse allegations like this one.

For India this highlights long-standing challenges around equitable resource distribution amid competing agriculture-based economies dependent heavily upon shared rivers-a recurring theme across multiple states facing hydro-politics conflicts.

Read More: Published – July 23, 2025