VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to issue a water release order for 6 TMC under the Right Main Canal and 1 TMC under the Left Main Canal of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project from April 15 to 22 for acute drinking water requirement and to save standing crops in the ayacut.
In a letter written to the KRMB Chairman, Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar stated that the Engineer-in-Chief (Water Resources) of Andhra Pradesh had communicated to the KRMB elucidating the fact that Telangana had utilised more water than its agreed allocation and required to ensure sufficient water is supplied to the Andhra Pradesh border of the Left Main Canal and release water to the Right Main Canal of Nagarjuna Saganr Project to the drinking water and irrigation requirement.
In the letter, he explained that Telangana had excessively drawn 46.99% (417.13 TMC) of the total water allocation as against its agreed share of 34% (326.76 TMC). On other hand, Andhra Pradesh has utilised only 53.01% (470.63 TMC) of the total water allocation against its agreed share of 66% (634.30 TMC) out of the available 961.07 TMC in the water year 2022-23.
Considering the need to address the acute drinking water requirement and irrigation needs to save the standing crops, he urged the KRMB Chairman to issue the water release order and instruct Telangana authorities to operate head regulator of the Right Main Canal and also ensure delivery of water at Andhra Pradesh border of the Left Main Canal.