Hyderabad.7 September 2025: Telangana faces a severe water management crisis as it loses over 2,350 TMC of Godavari river water and 726 TMC of Krishna river water to the Bay of Bengal during the 2025–26 water year. The massive wastage highlights the under-utilisation of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, designed to transform agriculture in the state.
Telangana’s Water Entitlement Under-Utilised
Despite abundant flows in the Godavari and Krishna rivers, Telangana has utilised only a fraction of its water allocation. Between June 1 and September 7, 2025, these huge quantities of water were released into the sea due to insufficient upstream storage and poor infrastructure management.
The Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, aimed to irrigate 45 lakh acres with a storage capacity of 145 TMC, remains largely non-functional for the fourth consecutive crop season. This inefficiency severely impacts the state’s agricultural potential and water security.
Massive Water Discharge Highlights Storage Deficit
On September 6, the Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage in Andhra Pradesh discharged 8 lakh cusecs of Godavari water into the sea, exposing Telangana’s failure to manage upstream storage effectively. Since 2014, the state has lost over 40,000 TMC of Godavari water, with 4,132 TMC lost last year alone, according to official sources.
Krishna Basin Faces Similar Crisis
In the Krishna basin, Telangana shares resources with Andhra Pradesh, but its performance remains poor. Reservoirs like Nagarjuna Sagar (312.05 TMC capacity) and Srisailam (215.81 TMC capacity) received adequate inflows since mid-June. Still, Telangana’s utilisation stayed at a meagre 60 TMC, primarily due to inadequate storage and floodwater management systems.
On September 6, the Prakasam Barrage in Andhra Pradesh released 30,876 cusecs of water into the sea, further reflecting Telangana’s inability to harness and manage floodwaters effectively.
Inter-State Disputes Hampering Water Use
Last year, Telangana utilised only 285 TMC from the Krishna basin, while Andhra Pradesh utilised 730 TMC, intensifying the ongoing inter-state disputes over water sharing and management.
Way Forward
Experts urge immediate measures to upgrade storage infrastructure, fast-track the functionalisation of the Kaleshwaram Project, and improve floodwater management to prevent future wastage. Proper utilisation of allocated water is critical for Telangana’s agriculture, economy, and long-term water security.
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