In a brazen act of defiance, the Andhra Pradesh government, just hours before Telangana’s state elections, took control of half of the Nagarjuna Sagar dam, a pivotal irrigation and hydropower project on the Krishna river. This unilateral move has sparked outrage in Telangana, reigniting the long-standing water-sharing feud between the two Telugu states.
Telangana’s Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has vehemently condemned Andhra Pradesh’s actions, labeling them as a blatant violation of established protocols and a deliberate attempt to disrupt Telangana’s electoral process. He has also accused Andhra Pradesh of damaging crucial dam infrastructure, including surveillance cameras and automated entry gates.
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), the body tasked with managing water distribution between the two states, has been informed of the situation and is expected to mediate. However, the escalating tensions between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana threaten to destabilize the region’s water management framework.