Water Disputes Between the Telugu States

The Krishna and Godavari River Management Boards, which are responsible for addressing water-sharing disputes between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, have been unable to hold their scheduled meetings due to repeated postponements. As a result, discussions and decisions on several key issues remain pending. The 21st meeting of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has been postponed six times. Initially scheduled for May, the meeting was deferred on multiple occasions for various reasons. The latest postponement came after Andhra Pradesh requested a delay in the November 5 meeting, citing the involvement of officials in cyclone Murasu relief operations. The KRMB last held a full-fledged meeting on January 21, 2025, meaning nearly 22 months have passed without another regular meeting.

The Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) is facing a similar situation. Its 18th meeting, initially scheduled for August 18, was postponed due to disagreements between the two states over objections raised by Andhra Pradesh concerning Telangana's projects and the meeting agenda. The meeting scheduled for October 30 also did not take place. The GRMB last convened on April 7, 2025, leaving nearly 20 months without a full-fledged meeting. Disagreements continue over Krishna water allocation, project-wise water usage, installation of telemetry systems, and the jurisdiction, management and approvals of Godavari projects. With board meetings repeatedly being deferred, decisions on these crucial matters remain pending, raising questions about when the long-standing water disputes between the two Telugu states will be resolved.