Hyderabad: Vedire Sriram, former advisor to the Union Jal Shakti Ministry and current advisor to the Maharashtra government, on Tuesday described former Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao’s agreement to a 299 TMC Krishna water share as a “death warrant” for Telangana.
Speaking at a presentation on river water distribution, Sriram responded to KCR’s recent comments on Krishna water sharing. He said that during an Apex Council meeting, KCR consented to Telangana receiving only 299 TMC out of 811 TMC available in the Krishna basin. He called this decision deeply damaging.
Palamuru region suffered, says Sriram
Sriram criticised the BRS government for failing to protect Telangana’s rightful share in Krishna waters. He questioned why the state accepted a reduced allocation. This acceptance came even when major projects like the Palamuru–Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme were still being planned.
He further alleged that despite securing 299 TMC on paper, the state government failed to fully utilise that allocation. “No irrigation benefit was delivered. Not a single acre saw water under this so-called allocation,” Sriram said. He accused KCR of turning irrigation into a tool for electoral gains.
Welcomes Centre’s tribunal for water allocation
Sriram welcomed the Centre’s recent move to set up a new tribunal to reallocate 1,050 TMC of Krishna water between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. He expressed confidence that Telangana could receive more than 650 TMC. This could happen with a robust legal strategy.
“This is Telangana’s chance to correct past mistakes. A solid case before the tribunal could ensure justice for the state,” he added.