Thu Jul 24 16:37:02 UTC 2025: ## News Article: Telangana Accuses Andhra Pradesh of Overdrawing Tungabhadra River Water
**Hyderabad, July 24, 2025** – Telangana has formally accused Andhra Pradesh of overdrawing water from the Tungabhadra River, impacting its contribution to the Krishna River and allegedly depriving Telangana of its rightful share. The accusations were presented before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II) during the second day of final arguments regarding the redistribution of water between the two states.
Senior Counsel C.S. Vaidyanathan, representing Telangana, argued that Andhra Pradesh is exceeding its allotted limit for water usage from the Tungabhadra Right Bank Low Level Canal (LLC), despite existing restrictions imposed by the KWDT-I. He highlighted that the earlier tribunal had limited Andhra Pradesh’s utilization from the LLC to 29.5 tmc ft, including evaporation losses.
Telangana further contends that Andhra Pradesh is over-tapping water from the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) Right Canal and the Guru Raghavendra Lift Irrigation Scheme. Vaidyanathan argued that the multiple water sources feeding the same ayacut (irrigated area) allow Andhra Pradesh to draw excessive volumes.
Presenting a scientific analysis, Telangana claims that the actual crop water requirement for the ayacut is only 17.41 tmc ft, leaving a potential saving of 6.59 tmc ft. The counsel has formally requested the Tribunal to allocate this “saved” water to in-basin projects within Telangana.
The KWDT-II is currently deliberating on the redistribution of 811 tmc ft of water, initially allocated to the combined Andhra Pradesh, between the newly formed states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. This development marks a crucial stage in the ongoing water-sharing dispute between the two states. The Tribunal’s decision will have significant implications for the agricultural sector and water resource management in both regions.
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