Three States agree to resolve water disputesAP, Telangana, Karnataka Irrigation ministers discuss critical water resources

In a significant meeting of Irrigation ministers from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana, a collective agreement was reached to address water disputes amicably. The conference was part of an all-India Irrigation ministers’ meeting organised by the Centre.
Irrigation ministers Nimmala Ramanaidu (Andhra Pradesh), DK Shivakumar (Karnataka) and Uttam Kumar Reddy (Telangana) met to discuss the critical water resources shared among the three States. The meeting underscored the importance of cooperation, given the geographical proximity of Andhra Pradesh to both Karnataka and Telangana.
During the discussions, the ministers stressed the need for collective decision-making and consultations to ensure that farmers from all three States could benefit without anyone facing losses. Key issues such as the Tungabhadra water reservoir and silt management were also on the agenda. Ramanaidu highlighted the need to assess not just this year’s water supply, but also the inflows to River Krishna over the past decade. He noted that consistent water flow to Krishna would only be achievable if projects like Almatti, Narayanpur and Jurala were fully operational. He explained that the delivery of water to the Krishna Delta and Nagarjuna Sagar irrigation projects has become challenging under the current circumstances.
Furthermore, the ministers discussed the need for better coordination between officials from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana regarding the water levels in the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar reservoirs. This coordination aims to prevent crop losses and drinking water shortages for farmers in both States until June, through a mutually agreed and planned approach.
Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar expressed his intention to visit Andhra Pradesh to meet with Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu regarding alternative measures to manage the silt in the Tungabhadra reservoir. He suggested that discussions at the official level should occur beforehand to prepare appropriate proposals for the Chief Ministers’ meeting.