The three-member committee of the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has decided to allocate 29 tmcft to Telangana and 17.5 tmcft to Andhra Pradesh till August this year. The water allocated to Telangana includes 8.5 tmcft for drinking water needs of Hyderabad. At the three-member committee meeting held at Jala Soudha on Thursday, TS officials complained that AP had used more than its allocated share this season. They said AP used 17 tmc more than they were allowed to.
Reacting to these allegations, KRMB in-charge chairman RK Jain said that the additional water used by AP would be accounted for in future releases. Later, speaking to reporters, Jain repeated the same while talking about the fresh allocations.
As per the water release order issued by member-secretary Harikesh Meena, the fresh release of water would be to meet drinking water requirement in both the sibling States. The member-secretary said that the utilisations made so far, including discrepancy in Nagarjuna Sagar Left Canal up to March 11, was agreed by both States.
The net available storage as on March 11 at Srisailam was 18 tmcft and 33.713 tmcft, totalling to 51.713 tmcft. The Board said that at Nagarjuna Sagar Project, a level of 510 feet was to be maintained for the longest period possible. The release to AP towards the requirement of Krishna Delta System may commence from March 15 (10,000 cusecs). Water released from Nagarjuna Sagar would preferably be through powerhouses so as to derive power generation benefits.