Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao has asserted that the State government was taking necessary steps to protect the standing crops in Krishna delta.
The Minister expressed concern that the upstream Telangana State stopped water releases from Nagarjuna Sagar for the last one month, posing threat to the standing crop in the delta region. The government, however, was utilising 13 tmcft water available in Pulichintala project to ensure that farmers get timely releases.
He termed as “irresponsible’ the comments by Telangana Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, who reportedly claimed that Nagarjuna Sagar project was under Telangana’s jurisdiction and the government would take steps to stop release of water downstream. It was unfortunate that the Telangana Minister was trying to raise controversies with his remarks at a time, when the two States should act in effective coordination to protect the interests of farmers on both sides.
There was a need to maintain the water at 854 ft in Srisailam project to serve the interests of farmers of Rayalaseema through KC Canal. At the same time, the interests of farmers in Nalgonda and Khammam districts of Telangana and Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh by releasing water from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar downstream.
The Chief Engineers of the two States were holding negotiations in this regard on a regular basis. The Minister said there was a need to ensure supply of 45 tmcft to Hyderabad and another 30 tmcft to Chennai while the two States had the collective responsibility of protecting farmers under right and left bank canals.
He said ensuring release of water till the end of March would ensure that the drinking water needs of Hyderabad as well as Nalgonda, Khammam, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts were served. The government could release water to Prakasam Barrage as there was storage in Pulichintala project. Efforts were under way to convince farmers of Nalgonda to cooperate in water releases so that the interests of ryots in two States were protected.
Meanwhile, Mr. Harish Rao refused to react to Mr. Uma Maheswara Rao’s remarks at a press conference in Hyderabad. The two States have been in conflict over release of water from Nagarjunasagar project to their ayacut. After intervention of senior officials in Hyderabad, the two sides resolved the issue temporarily by continuing to release 10,000 cusecs from right and left canals.
The Telangana Minister is trying to raise controversies at a time when the two States should act in coordination to protect interests of farmers on both sides, he says
The Minister expressed concern that the upstream Telangana State stopped water releases from Nagarjuna Sagar for the last one month, posing threat to the standing crop in the delta region. The government, however, was utilising 13 tmcft water available in Pulichintala project to ensure that farmers get timely releases.
He termed as “irresponsible’ the comments by Telangana Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao, who reportedly claimed that Nagarjuna Sagar project was under Telangana’s jurisdiction and the government would take steps to stop release of water downstream. It was unfortunate that the Telangana Minister was trying to raise controversies with his remarks at a time, when the two States should act in effective coordination to protect the interests of farmers on both sides.
There was a need to maintain the water at 854 ft in Srisailam project to serve the interests of farmers of Rayalaseema through KC Canal. At the same time, the interests of farmers in Nalgonda and Khammam districts of Telangana and Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts of Andhra Pradesh by releasing water from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar downstream.
The Chief Engineers of the two States were holding negotiations in this regard on a regular basis. The Minister said there was a need to ensure supply of 45 tmcft to Hyderabad and another 30 tmcft to Chennai while the two States had the collective responsibility of protecting farmers under right and left bank canals.
He said ensuring release of water till the end of March would ensure that the drinking water needs of Hyderabad as well as Nalgonda, Khammam, Prakasam, Guntur and Krishna districts were served. The government could release water to Prakasam Barrage as there was storage in Pulichintala project. Efforts were under way to convince farmers of Nalgonda to cooperate in water releases so that the interests of ryots in two States were protected.
Meanwhile, Mr. Harish Rao refused to react to Mr. Uma Maheswara Rao’s remarks at a press conference in Hyderabad. The two States have been in conflict over release of water from Nagarjunasagar project to their ayacut. After intervention of senior officials in Hyderabad, the two sides resolved the issue temporarily by continuing to release 10,000 cusecs from right and left canals.
