hyderabad
In the wake of scanty inflows into major reservoirs in the Krishna Basin so far this season, particularly the common reservoirs of Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar, the Telangana government has reiterated its request to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to restrain Andhra Pradesh from drawing water from the two common reservoirs stating that it has already drawn excess quantity.
Telangana has also sought the river board to reconcile the utilisation of water made so far and the needs in the next three-member committee meeting comprising engineers-in-chief of the two States and the member-secretary of the board. Telangana has brought to the notice of the board that in addition to the 51.745 tmc ft water drawn in excess of its entitlement during the 2022-23 water year, A.P. had availed 15.606 tmc ft excess water this water year so far.
Further, Telangana has mentioned to the board to that it had 18.701 tmc ft water out of its entitlement saved in Nagarjunasagar during 2022-23 and is intending to utilise the water saved last year during the lean months. In a letter addressed to KRMB chairman Shiv Nandan Kumar, engineer-in-chief (Irrigation-General) of Telangana C. Muralidhar explained that A.P. had utilised 71.718 tmc ft water in the Krishna Basin so far this water year (2023-24) against 22.210 tmc ft availed by Telangana as of September 2.
Mr.Muralidhar also explained that 46.683 tmc ft water storage was available within A.P.’s territory and another 11.799 tmc ft in Telangana’s territory. In addition, 53.180 tmc ft was storage was available in the two common reservoirs, including 18.701 tmc ft water saved/stored by Telangana in Nagarjunasagar during the last water year as of September 2 on equitable (50:50) sharing ratio.
He wrote that A.P. had availed 67.351 tmc ft of water in excess of its entitlement during the last water year (51.745 tmc ft) and also in the current water year so far (15.606 tmc ft). Citing the detailed project reports of A.P., Mr.Muralidhar said the drinking water requirements of A.P. from Srisailam in a water year were only 6 tmc ft, including 4 tmc ft in the Handri-Neeva system and 2 tmc ft in Galeru-Nagari system.
However, A.P. had already utilised 14.414 tmc ft from Pothireddypadu and 2.404 tmc from the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi system from June 1 to September 2 this year. In spite of its excess utilisation, A.P. was still asking for 19.29 tmc ft water for the period from August 17 to September 30. Similarly, drinking water needs of A.P. from Nagarjunasagar were 2.85 tmc ft a year but it had drawn 4.21 tmc ft water from June 1 to September 2. A.P. was also asking for 10.8 tmc ft from August 17 to September 30, the Telangana engineer-in-chief pointed out.
