The Irrigation authorities of Andhra Pradesh are strongly pitching for the intervention of the Central Water Commission and Krishna River Management Board to prevail upon the Telangana government to continue release of 6 tmcft water from Nagarjuna Sagar Project to Krishna delta for one more week as assured by the Central authority.
According to officials, water release from NSP commenced for the eighth day on Wednesday at around 1.30 pm and continued till evening. They are, however, concerned over the Telangana government’s reported moves to approach the Board to stop further release of water.
Suitable conditions“The bed is prepared with the initial releases and the entire quantum of the assured water will reach the barrage owing to suitable conditions including the pressure of the flow. The situation will come back to square one if water is stopped now as losses due to seepage will increase if there is a gap in releases,” a senior official said.
Though the officials are confident that the release of water could not be stopped as of now as the order came from the CWC, they are concerned over the disputes that could arise in the longer run. Irrigation officials are worried that the ongoing dispute between the two governments could lead to denial of water to the delta in violation of the Bachawat Tribunal’s award.
They are contending that the four districts - Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam and West Godavari – had been allocated 180 tmcft, 80 tmcft from NSP and 100 tmcft from the catchment area downstream, by the Bachawat Tribunal and this award could not be violated until the new tribunal’s award becomes operational. “The CWC and the Board should intervene and ensure release of the rightful allocation to delta,” a senior official told The Hindu .
The officials are hoping that the Board take over full control of water releases without giving scope for the governments to intervene in the matter. This would ensure that the Board as an independent body can assess the requirements of the two sides and accordingly, decide on the quantum of allocation rather than allowing either of the State to have a say on the issue.
