ANANTAPUR: Water from the backwaters of the Srisailam project was released towards Pothireddy Padu on Friday to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of the Rayalaseema region.
Nandyal MLA Silpa Chakrapani Reddy along with irrigation officials offered pooja at the Pothireddypadu head regulator and released Krishna water from the backwaters of Srisailam dam after the water level was recorded at 865.04 ft in the dam.
The Srisailam dam water had been released during July last year towards Pothireddypadu, but the rain deficit in upstream parts had resulted in poor inflows to the dam this year. The dam got only 865tmc ft of water. At present, the dam has 122.69tmc-ft, following inflows of 40,958 cusecs and outflows of 4,400 cusecs.
Nandyal MLA Silpa Chakrapani Reddy switched on the pumps to release water through the Pothireddypadu head regulator to meet the needs of the Rayalaseema region including the KC Canal and the Handri Neeva Sujala Shravanthi Irrigation project.
Speaking on the occasion, Chakrapani Reddy advised the Telangana state not to create unnecessary interstate disputes over water sharing from Srisailam and should follow the allocations made by Krishna Board on prorate basis.
“The TS government should utilise the allocated water instead of drawing additional water in the context of this being the election year for TS. Telangana should maintain cordial relations with AP by following the guidelines of Krishna Board”, he opined and added that the farmers of Rayalaseema region were eager about protecting the crops under various connected projects and canals.
Referring to the recent visit of TD chief Chandrababu Naidu to irrigation projects, and his claim that the projects of Rayalaseema were completed during the TD term, the YSRC MLA said more than 90 per cent of the works were completed during the YSR rule, and TD did nothing.
During the last four years, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy was releasing water on time for both drinking and irrigation purposes in the region, he asserted.
Meanwhile, a team from the central Jalashakti department inspected the Srisailam dam on Friday and reviewed the situation of water storage and power generation and the condition of the dam gates.
The central Jalashakti department joint secretary Anand Mohan led the team.
