Andhra Pradesh to raise Telangana indiscriminate use of  Srisailam water with KRMB again

Even though the Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s intervention was sought to direct the Telangana government to refrain from drawing Srisailam water for power generation, there has been no response yet.
For representational purposes
For representational purposes

VIJAYAWADA: Even though the Union Jal Shakti Ministry’s intervention was sought to direct the Telangana government to refrain from drawing Srisailam water for power generation, there has been no response yet. With the neighboring State drawing over 90 TMC in the last 15 days despite the water not reaching the requisite level, the Andhra Pradesh government is likely to once again take up the issue with the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

Engineer-in-chief (water resources) C Narayana Reddy, had complained twice — on July 20 and July 30 — to the KRMB last month pointing out that the Telangana government was ‘indiscriminately’ using water from the left canal even when Andhra Pradesh had drinking water needs in the  Rayalaseema region. In response, the KRMB had written to the Telangana government asking it to refrain from doing so, but the power generation continued. With this, the KRMB, over a week ago, had sought the union ministry’s immediate intervention noting that the Telangana government was not heeding to its letters and that 67.57 TMCft of water was used by it till August 6 out of the 114.16 TMCft received. Because of this, the board noted, the water level in the reservoir plummeted. However, the KRMB’s request elicited no response.

“There has been no positive response even as the indiscriminate use by Telangana continued. So far, over 90 TMCft has been used. We will once again take up the issue with the board,” engineer-in-chief C Narayana Reddy told TNIE.

Normally, power generation would begin when the levels reach about 860-865 ft of the reservoir, but Telangana started drawing water for power generation much before the requisite level. “Power generation usually has to be done when water is over 860-865 ft, that too depending on the inflow forecast. If inflows continue, then we go for power generation. But, that wasn’t the case here. Even though Nagarjuna Sagar has about 75 per cent storage, water is being released to it as Telangana is drawing water indiscriminately from Srisailam even after KRMB has asked it not to do so twice,” another official explained. 

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