Jupally Criticizes AP over Power Generation at Srisailam

Hyderabad: Excise minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Tuesday accused the Andhra Pradesh government of violating established norms in the utilisation of water from the Srisailam reservoir and undertaking power generation disregarding Telangana’s interests.

Addressing a press conference at Gandhi Bhavan, along with MLAs Dr Chikkudu Vamsi Krishna of Achampet and Dr Rajesh Reddy of Nagarkurnool, the minister said that clear guidelines prohibited power generation once the water level in the reservoir reached the minimum drawdown level of 834 feet (254.2 metres). He alleged that these norms were being overlooked, adversely affecting Telangana’s irrigation and drinking water requirements.

The minister expressed concern that repeated representations to the AP government had not yielded results, and described its approach as unresponsive. He said public representatives from the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district had collectively called for a ‘Vanta-Varpu’ programme at Srisailam to highlight the issue and safeguard the interests of farmers and residents in the Krishna basin.

Krishna Rao stated that the AP government had halted power generation only after these concerns were strongly articulated. He reiterated that the state government remained committed to protecting Telangana’s interests and would take all necessary steps in this regard.

He further noted that similar concerns over water sharing in the Srisailam project had arisen in the past as well, including during the undivided Andhra Pradesh, when legal recourse was pursued. Emphasising that Telangana would not compromise on its rightful share of water, he said the government would continue to safeguard the interests of its people.

Kurnool: Power generation at the Srisailam Dam has been halted since Monday night following a sharp drop in the reservoir’s water level, officials said.

Authorities from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have stopped power generation due to insufficient water levels. Officials said a minimum level of 840 feet is required for power generation, but the reservoir has fallen to around 824 feet.

The current water storage stands at about 44 tmc ft, raising concerns over availability for irrigation. With declining levels, release of water for agricultural needs in districts such as Kurnool and Nandyal may not be feasible.

Officials said power generation will resume only after inflows improve following fresh rains in the upper catchment areas. Until then, thermal power is expected to play a key role in meeting the state’s energy requirements.