Overview
- The three-member Krishna River Management Board committee met in Hyderabad and failed to agree on 2026–27 allocations on Sept 4, leaving the long-running 66:34 versus 50:50 split dispute unresolved.
- Both states have accused the other of unauthorised drawals from shared reservoirs, with Andhra Pradesh reported to have started unilateral drawals from the Nagarjunasagar right canal after the Aug 24 meeting and Telangana responding with left-canal releases.
- El Niño has cut inflows sharply, with Srisailam receiving 213.6 tmc ft and Nagarjunasagar 93.1 tmc ft from June 1 to Sept 4, which has led both governments to limit use to drinking needs.
- Each state has asked for 47 tmc ft for drinking water through the end of October, and officials agreed to hold another committee meeting in the fourth week of September before the planned full board session with Secretaries and the KRMB Chairman.
- The dispute rests on an ad hoc 66:34 arrangement put in place for 2015–16 that Andhra Pradesh wants to keep and Telangana has rejected since 2020, with operational controls such as the Pothireddypadu head regulator and Handri‑Neeva lifts making drawal limits central to the conflict and to water supplies for millions of people.