Hyderabad: The deadlock over Nagarjunasagar Project (NSP) continued into Friday as the defiant Andhra Pradesh was yet to remove barricades from the dam. They are also not allowing officials from Telangana to inspect crest gates 14 to 26.
Time and again, Telangana has been urging the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to intervene and ensure that the AP maintains the pre-November 28 status quo. In spite of appeals by KRMB, AP has not removed the barricades even after CRPF personnel took over control of NSP.
Officials from Telangana irrigation and command area development (I&CAD) used to maintain the entire NSP but on November 30, officials from AP irrigation department took control of the project from gate 13 to 26 and started drawing water in the name of meeting their state’s drinking water requirements. They stopped it on December 2.
AP officials are constantly monitoring the situation from the project site despite the presence of a battalion of CRPF on either side of the project.
As AP officials refused to heed to their pleas, officials from Telangana are relying on the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) to resolve the issue amicably and ensure that status quo is maintained at NSP.
On its part, the MoJS was supposed to hold a crucial meeting with chief secretaries of Telangana and AP, A. Shanti Kumari and K.S. Jawahar Reddy, respectively, to review the situation on Friday but it was postponed following a request from Telangana that it be rescheduled for next month.
On their part, KRMB officials are maintaining a constant vigil at NSP. Sources said AP had drawn 3,600 cusecs of water every day from November 30 to December 2.
