Telangana has requested Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from going ahead with several pumped hydro-electric projects being taken up based on water diverted from Srisailam reservoir in the outside basin areas.
Engineer-in-Chief of Telangana C. Muralidhar pointed out to KRMB Chairman, through a letter, that in spite of its two letters to stop a pumped hydel project being executed by AP at Pinnapuram in Kurnool district no action was initiated by the River Board and that work on the project was still going on.
Now, they have come up with a plan to take up another four pumped hydel projects at Chitravati (Anantapur), Gandikota (Kadapa), Somasila (Nellore) and Owk (Kurnool), all falling in Penna Basin but being taken up with water diverted from Srisailam reservoir through Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari and Telugu Ganga projects, Mr. Muralidhar explained.
He stated that diversion of water from a deficit basin (Krishna) to another basin to utilise water for hydel generation was highly objectionable while several in-basin areas were starving for water. Both the KWDT-I and II have also observed that water diverted to outside the basin areas was total loss to the basin areas.
The pumped hydel projects were being taken up with water diverted from Srisailam without appraisal of the board and approval of the Apex Council, the ENC said and requested the river board to take matter to the notice of Ministry of Jal Shakti for necessary action.
