Andhra Pradesh seeks intervention to halt Telangana irrigation projects

Interstate disputes over Krishna River water allocation continue to escalate between Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Karnataka.

The Andhra Pradesh government has formally approached the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to halt several irrigation and lift irrigation projects being developed by Telangana. Specifically, Andhra Pradesh requested that the construction of the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) be paused and included in the KRMB agenda. Other contested projects include the Kalwakurthi, Achampet, and Makthal–Narayanpet–Kodangal schemes. Andhra Pradesh is also seeking a specific division of the 811 TMC of Krishna water allocated to the former undivided state, proposing 512 TMC for Andhra Pradesh and 299 TMC for Telangana.

Simultaneously, the Telangana government’s request to Karnataka for water from the Almatti and Narayanapura reservoirs to support withering crops has met significant resistance. Farmer unions in Karnataka, such as the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, have urged the state government to deny the request, citing severe drought conditions in districts like Vijayapura. While Telangana officials claimed a positive response from Karnataka leadership, local activists warned against sacrificing the interests of Karnataka farmers. Karnataka officials have suggested that water might only be released for drinking purposes on humanitarian grounds.