VIJAYAWADA: Irrigation officials of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states on Tuesday engaged in a heated argument over the release of water from Nagarjuna Sagar project to Right Bank Canal which provides water for drinking and irrigation in Guntur and Prakasam districts.
The issue was started when Telangana officials decreased the water from Nagarjuna Sagar dam to its Right Bank Canal on Tuesday claiming that the share of Andhra Pradesh under the Krishna River Water Management Board (KRMB) has already been released.
NS RBC irrigation officials of Andhra Pradesh rushed to the dam to dispute the claim of Telangana irrigation department officials.
The officials of both the sided engaged in a heated exchange of words over their respective claims, sources said.
Later, the issue was brought to the notice of KRMB officials and the higher officials of both the states.
NS RBC officials told 'Express' that as per the KRMB allocations, Andhra Pradesh should get 17 TMC of water to Right Branch Canal from Nagarjuna Sagar.
“We have only used 13.9 TMCFT of water and agreed to consider another 2 TMCFT of water as evaporation loss for the month of February. However, Telangana officials wanted to even consider the remaining 1 TMC of water as evaporation loss for the period before the KRMB meeting on February 8. We disputed the claim,” a senior Irrigation officials said.
Later in the evening, after intervention of KRMB officials, Telangana irrigation department officials agreed to release 1.1 TMC of water and increased the discharge rate to Right Bank Canal. “The problem has been taken care off. We expect that with 1.1 TMC of water in addition to the existing water in the canal, drinking water needs and that of late kharif irrigation needs will be taken care off,” the official explained.