KRMB and GRMB to meet over water disputes in India

The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) are scheduled to meet on October 26 and 30, respectively, to address ongoing water crises and disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The meetings follow postponements from August and come amid deficient rainfall and dwindling reservoir inflows caused by El Niño conditions.

A central point of contention is the sharing ratio of Krishna river water. Andhra Pradesh is advocating for a 66:34 ratio, while Telangana is seeking a 70:30 arrangement, citing its larger share of the Krishna basin. Andhra Pradesh officials have raised concerns regarding Telangana’s alleged excess drawal of water from the Srisailam reservoir for power generation and storage in the Nagarjunasagar project.

Low reservoir levels at Srisailam, currently at approximately 26.84 percent of its gross capacity, have prompted warnings that drinking water supplies in the Rayalaseema region could be compromised by next year. Discussions are also expected to cover the operation of lift irrigation schemes, project approvals, the installation of telemetry equipment for monitoring water usage, and compliance with existing project norms.