Farmers’ welfare organizations and those dependent on river water in Andhra Pradesh have formally appealed to both the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) and the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti. Their urgent request is to move the KRMB headquarters from Hyderabad to Vijayawada, a move they highlight as being a clear mandate under the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014.
In their detailed representation sent to the KRMB chairperson, these associations underscored that the current water-sharing agreement allocates 811 TMC of Krishna water between the two states. Specifically, Telangana utilizes 299 TMC, while Andhra Pradesh receives 512 TMC, a distribution safeguarded by KWDT-I.
The farmers emphasized Section 85(2) of the Reorganisation Act, which clearly stipulates that the KRMB headquarters should be situated in Andhra Pradesh. They expressed frustration that, despite 11 years passing since the state’s bifurcation and numerous appeals from both the Andhra Pradesh government and various water users’ associations, the board continues to operate from Hyderabad. They also highlighted that the State government had officially petitioned the Central government in February 2025 for its relocation to Amaravati.
Representatives of the farming community further argued that Vijayawada, strategically located along the Krishna River, serves as a geographical nexus for Andhra Pradesh. Its superior road, rail, and air connectivity make it an optimal choice for efficiently overseeing all projects falling under the KRMB’s authority.
Consequently, they earnestly appealed to the Union government to uphold the established water-sharing agreement between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. They also called for prompt action to transfer the KRMB headquarters to either Vijayawada or Amaravati, in strict adherence to the Reorganisation Act’s directives.
The formal representation was endorsed by several prominent figures, including Kota Veera Babu, Chairperson of the Project Committee for NSLC in NTR District; Valluripalli Ganesh, Vice-Chairperson of the Project Committee for Krishna Eastern Delta; and A.V. Gopala Krishna Rao, a former State Apex Committee member and President of SVSS-AP. Additionally, numerous distributory committee chairpersons from the Krishna Eastern Delta System also signed the appeal.