VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Department on Friday, September 17, 2021, requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to accord permission for diversion of water through various outlets upstream of the reservoirs as part of flood mitigation to avoid any untoward incidents leading to heavy loss of lives and property.
In a letter to KRMB member secretary, engineer-in-chief (irrigation) C Narayana Reddy requested that as this water now being diverted is only surplus water during the floods, which otherwise go waste into the sea, it should not be accounted against the agreed share of any individual state. He further explained that at present all the reservoirs on Krishna river starting from Jurala, Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Pulichintala and Prakasam Barrage are full and water is being released into the Bay of Bengal.
“In the last two years, when a similar situation of overflowing of all reservoirs on river Krishna arose, as part of flood mitigation, water was diverted through various outlets upstream of the reservoirs, irrespective of whether there is demand for drinking, irrigation exists or not. At that time, the KRMB was requested not to account these drawls against agreed water share of the individual states,” he reminded in his letter while stating that the present scenario is no different.
Narayana Reddy, in his letter, said that in his earlier letter dated August 2, 2021, the KRMB was requested to accord permission for diversion of water through various outlets upstream of the reservoirs as part of flood mitigation.
He said further it was brought to the notice of the KRMB that Section 85 (7)(e) and para-6 of XI schedule of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014 states “While the successor state governments shall be responsible for managing natural calamities, the Boards shall advise the two state governments on the management of disaster or drought or flood in the rivers of Krishna and Godavari, particularly in reference to the release of water for the management and mitigation of the natural calamities.
The Boards shall have the full authorities to get their orders implemented by the two successor state governments promptly and effectively in the respect of the operation of the headworks of the dams, reservoirs or headworks of canals and works appurtenant thereto including the hydel power projects, as notified by the Central Government, on Krishna and Godavari rivers.”
He said in view of the present situation, the KRMB is requested to permit the utilisation of water for power generation through the right bank powerhouse by APGENCO, otherwise, the precious water, which can be used for power generation in the national interest, will go waste over the spillway for nobody’s benefit.