Vijayawada: Krishna delta is facing severe drinking water crisis ahead of summer season. Already, several areas in Krishna delta are facing drinking water scarcity. The state irrigation department requested the River Water Management Board to release 10 TMC feet water for delta needs. But there are no water reserves at the Prakasam Barrage and also Pulichintala project. According to officials, the Krishna delta needs 10 TMC feet water for drinking water needs. Especially, the sea coast mandals in Krishna district are facing water crisis for the last several days.
Significantly, the public representatives of the Telugu Desam also entered into verbal war for distributing the water, which was released almost a month ago. Moreover, though the irrigation officials released water for drinking water needs to solve the crisis, there is allegation that the fish farmers are diverting the water for filling the fish tanks. However, the district collector instructed the officials to take action against the illegal usage of water reserves. Now several mandals of Kris-hna delta would face water crisis more in future, says Delta Ryta-nga Samakhya president Erneni Nagendranath.
He said that every season delta faces drinking water crisis from March though the state government released water in view of summer demand. Moreover, several mandals in West Krishna always faces water problem.
However, one irrigation official, on condition of anonymity, said that the state government has already submitted its proposal to Krishna River Water Board to meet the drinking water needs. Finally, now the irrigation department officials would release water for drinking water needs after getting water from upstream projects, he added.
