NALGONDA: The water level in the Nagarjunasagar reservoir which supplies drinking water to Hyderabad apart from meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of over 90 villages in Nalgonda district has reached almost dead storage level due to delayed monsoon rain. The water level on Sunday in the reservoir stood at 520.10 feet as against 534.30 feet last year, 532.70 feet in 2021 and 530.80 feet on June 18, 2020.
The Nagarjunasagar water is mainly used for the irrigation of lakhs of acres and the drinking water needs of different areas, including the State capital. If it rains sometime this week and the water level reaches a full level in the reservoir, there would be a possibility of water being released into the right and left canals for irrigation and drinking water needs.
The water is released from Nagarjunasagar Dam into the Alimenti Madhava Reddy Project (AMRP) for filling various ponds in Nalgonda district and to meet drinking water needs of the twin cities. If monsoon rain fails, there is a danger of the State capital and many villages in Nalgonda district suffering water shortage. In case of rains in upstream, the flood water will reach the Nagarjunasagar reservoir after the Srisailam project is filled.
The alarming situation is being attributed to lack of proper planning on the part of the authorities and leaders who released water indiscriminately expecting copious rains this year like the previous years. In the last three years the authorities released water into the right and left canals alternatively. But this year they released water simultaneously into both the canals, leading to the present situation.