Though areas in Karnataka and Maharashtra, the catchment areas of the Krishna river, received surplus rainfall last week, no water seems to be trickling into its reservoirs.
Even before the South West Monsoon set in, both regions of Andhra Pradesh (Coastal and Rayalaseema) recorded surplus rainfall during the week ending on Sunday. Even Telangana recorded surplus rainfall during this period. While Madhya Maharashtra recorded normal rainfall, Marathwada meteorology division recorded surplus rainfall. Similarly, north interior Karnataka recorded surplus rain, but south interior Karnataka recorded normal rain.
Having received surplus rain farmers in the State are all geared up for sowing kharif crop. Many of them are doubtful about the options open if the monsoon fails as there is no water in the river to come to their rescue.
Rythanga Samakya (Farmers’ Federation) president and former State Drainage Board office-bearer Yerneni Nagendranath said that unless there was 100 mm of rainfall in coastal Karnataka, Konkan and Madhya Maharashtra there would be no inflows into the reservoirs built over the Krishna.
While there is no inflow into the Almatti reservoir, the first major dam on the river, Narayanapur reservoir that is fed by a Malaprabha tributary is receiving 1,602 cusecs, Jurala reservoir fed by Bhima tributary is receiving 185 cusecs and Tungabhadra reservoir is receiving 2,090 cusecs.
While the Srisailam reservoir is receiving a meagre 740 cusecs, there are no inflows into the Nagarjuna Sagar Project. Interestingly, the Pulichintala Project fed by the Musi is receiving nearly 5,000 cusecs.
There are no inflows into the major reservoirs in the Godavari and Pennar basins too. The inflows into the Veligoda Balancing Reservoir, Somasila and Kandaleru of Pennar basin and Jaikwad and Sri Ram Sagar of the Godavari basin are less than 100 cusecs cumulatively.
Delay likely
Scores of check dams and small barrages have been constructed on the Krishna and Godavari in the upper riparian States of Karnataka and Maharashtra. These structures will further delay the flow of water and it would be August before water reached Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Nagendranath said.
