VIJAYAWADA : The Andhra Pradesh water resources department has requested Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to reschedule the three-member committee meeting slated to be held on April 4 in Hyderabad as the officials of the State are preoccupied with other inevitable meetings. They requested the KRMB to schedule the meeting after April 10.
In a letter to KRMB chairman, Engineer-in-Chief (irrigation) C Narayana Reddy, once again requested the KRMB to give necessary instructions to CRPF and to depute KRMB staff to operate Nagarjuna Sagar Right Main Canal Head Regulator from April 8 to release water at the rate of 5,500 cusecs up to 5 TMC for filling drinking water tanks as per the release order issued on October 9, 2023.
Pointing out at the statement showing water utilisation by both the States in Krishna basin from October 1, 2023 to April 2, 2024 from Srisailam and Nagarajuna Sagar, he said it has been observed that Telangana has drawn excess water of 7.61 TMC over their agreed allocation of 35 TMC as per KRMB water release order dated October 9, 2013.
He said drawls are still continuing from Kalwakurthy, Nagarjuna Sagar Left canal and AMRP (Alimineti Madhava Reddy Srisailam Left Bank Canal Project) neither raising proper indent for consideration of three-member committee nor obtaining any Water Release order from KRMB.
Narayan Reddy said there is very acute drinking water scarcity due to soaring temperatures above 43 degree Celsius resulting in immediate requirement to supplement drinking water needs by filling summer storage tanks all along Nagarjuna Sagar Project Right Main Canal, which are dependent on Nagarjuna Sagar Project only.
Considering the situation, KRMB was again requested to issue necessary instructions to Telangana to stop further usage of water from common reservoirs of Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar, and take action to ensure releases through NSPRMC to Andhra Pradesh as per release order from April 8 to meet the drinking water requirements in the severe drought affected areas of Palnadu, Prakasam, Guntur and Bapatla districts.