Officials Stop SRSP Water for Agriculture, To Focus on Drinking Needs

Nizamabad: To cater to the drinking water needs of north Telangana districts, Sriramsagar project (SRSP) officials decided to halt the release of water for agriculture given the low storage level.

Water stands at 1059.30 feet in the SRSP against its full level of 1091 ft. Last year same day the project had water at 1068.80 ft. Against last year’s storage of 26.646 tmc ft (thousand million cubic feet), the reservoir currently holds less than half, at 12.852 tmc ft.

Earlier, 7,000 cusecs of water were released through the Kakatiya main canal for agriculture, which had decreased to 6,000 cusecs. It would be tapered down to 3,000 cusecs and eventually stopped on Wednesday.

Farmers under SRSP ayacut should utilise the water as a last chance in the current season, SRSP officials said. They said farmers must utilise the available water judiciously.

For drinking purposes, 231 cusecs of water were being released to Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Nirmal, Adilabad, and Jagtial districts.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, an SRSP official said that water available in the project will meet drinking water needs up to July when the monsoon rains are expected.