HYDERABAD
The committee constituted by the Ministry of Jal Shakti to deliberate upon the issues concerning river water management between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in January this year, will have its second meeting on September 9 in New Delhi.
The meeting to be chaired by CWC Chairman is being convened following VIP reference of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy. The Secretaries of Irrigation/Water Resources Departments of the two States are expected to participate.
The meeting assumes significance in the backdrop of the fresh water row between the two States, commenced with the unilateral water release to the Nagarajunsagar Right Canal by AP on Wednesday evening without approval of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). In response, Telangana too started releasing water to the Left Canal later in the day.
As on Thursday evening AP was drawing 7,380 cusecs of water from the Right Canal and Telangana was taking 2,070 cusecs from the Left Canal.
In the first meeting of the MoJS committee headed by the Chairman of the Central Water Commission (CWC) held on January 30, it was decided that both States would submit detailed agenda items along with supporting data for further deliberations. However, despite several reminders of the committee office, both the States are yet to send their detailed agenda.
Four officials each from the two States, officials of KRMB, GRMB, NWDA and CWC are expected to participate in the meeting to discuss further course of action.
Key meeting
A crucial meeting on the proposed Tummidihatti barrage across the Pranahita will be held in New Delhi on September 1 to discuss the technical and inter-State issues surrounding the project.
The meeting, convened by the Central Water Commission (CWC), will be chaired by its chairman and senior officials of the water resources departments of Telangana and Maharashtra are expected to participate.
The meeting follows sustained efforts by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy to revive the project and secure an agreement with Maharashtra. Mr. Reddy had written to the Maharashtra Chief Minister on May 26, seeking a meeting between the two States to arrive at a mutually acceptable solution. He had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister, following which the Prime Minister’s Office referred the matter to the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti.
Subsequently, on August 5, Mr. Reddy wrote to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil, seeking the Centre’s intervention to resolve the inter-State issues and facilitate the project.
A key point in the discussions is Telangana’s proposal to raise the agreed height of the barrage from 148 metres to 152 metres. The State has been explaining to the Centre that drawing the required quantum of water through gravity at 148 metres would not be feasible and that using high-capacity pumps would substantially increase power consumption and the recurring cost of the project.
Telangana’s principal argument is that the barrage should be designed in a manner that ensures long-term benefits to the State while keeping power consumption and operational expenditure to a minimum.
The State has also cited studies conducted by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), contending that raising the water level would result in only limited additional submergence.
The Telangana government has been pursuing the project with the Centre and Maharashtra through a series of consultations, seeking an early resolution to the outstanding issues. The project is considered important for extending irrigation to backward and drought-prone areas of Telangana.
The September 1 meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for the two States and the CWC to examine the technical aspects of the proposal and explore a way forward on the barrage
Published – August 27, 2026 08:48 pm IST