The ongoing stalemate between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh over release of water from Srisailam reservoir appears to have been temporarily resolved to serve the drinking water needs of some districts in both the States.
The two States are understood to have reached an agreement on releasing two tmcft, one tmcft exclusively for catering to the drinking water needs of Hyderabad, and an equal quantity downstream through Nagarjunasagar right bank canal to meet the needs in Guntur and Praksam districts of Andhra Pradesh. The decision came in the light of discussions held between the Irrigation Ministers and secretary level officials of both the States. Senior officials said the issue had been communicated to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) which is expected to release an order in this direction, soon. The stand off assumed significance given the two States were yet to arrive at a consensus on the quantum of water that would be shared between them for the current year.
Though a meeting was convened by the KRMB a couple of days ago, it was deferred when the representative of Andhra Pradesh conveyed his inability to attend. “It was deliberate. They (AP officials) preferred not to attend the meeting in anticipation that we will insist on water releases to cater to the needs of Hyderabad,” a senior Irrigation official said.
Telangana Irrigation officials were disappointed over the non-cooperative attitude of Andhra Pradesh in releasing water to serve drinking water needs of Hyderabad.“ Karnataka had released water to Jurala in the past when we had shortage and Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had ordered release of water more than once to save standing crops in Andhra Pradesh. But, there was no reciprocation from AP when it came to Telangana,” a senior official said.
