Clash brews over Nagarjunasagar water

Hyderabad: Telangana and AP governments are set to clash over the release of additional waters to Krishna delta for drinking purposes. The release of waters from Nagarjunasagar dam as directed by the chairman-in-charge,  Krishna River Management Board at the rate of 6,000 cusecs (cubic feet of waters per second) for a week will be stopped on July 1.

However, big craters, evaporation, and seepage caused by the parched Krishna river bed, the waters released from the dam does not reach Prakasam Barrage, said K. Srinivas, Superintending engineer of Krishna Delta Systems.

“Today we came to know that of 2.74 tmc ft of water released for the last five days against the sanctioned release of 3.6 tmc ft, only 0.74 tmc ft has reached Prakasam so far,” said Mr Srinivas. However, Yellareddy, chief engineer of NS dam said, “Unless there is a fresh order for release of additional water by July 1, the present release will be stopped.”

However, Telangana government may not concede to the demand citing drinking water needs of the twin cities and Left Bank canal in Khammam and Nalgonda districts. AP irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao said, “We don’t have any water as of now. How can we meet the drinking water needs of Krishna delta with this meagre amount? We appeal to the  Krishna River Management Board and also Telangana  to be humane and ensure that additional 6 tmc ft be released without a break as  agreed by the Governor.”