Three days after directing Andhra Pradesh to stop drawing water from all systems originating from Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs, stating that the State has already drawn more water than the approved quantity, the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has approved release of 2 tmcft water to it from Nagarjunasagar for drinking needs.
The decision was taken after the meeting of the three-member committee of the board, comprising member-secretary A. Paramesham and Engineers-in-Chief of A.P. and Telangana C. Narayana Reddy and C. Muralidhar, respectively, here on Friday.
A.P’s requests
In the water release order, Mr. Paramesham stated that A.P. had requested in its letters on May 19 and 20 the release of 2 tmcft water to Nagarjunasagar Right Canal to meet the drinking water needs of Guntur and Parakasam districts.
Utilisations made by the two member States till May 21 from the two common reservoirs was discussed at the meeting before approving the release of water to A.P.
The board official said the two States had mutually agreed to the water release to be utilised till May 31, the conclusion of the current water year.
The board, however, made it clear that the issue of sharing water drawn during the surplus period was to be addressed by a technical committee appointed by the Ministry of Jal Shakti.
“Depending on the final decision on the issue, eligible shares of water for the two States may vary,” the river board said in its latest order.
Further, the board also observed that the Chief Engineers of the two common reservoirs shall be responsible for meeting the requirements of both the States. Water delivered to each State would have to be reported “invariably as a joint statement.”
Meanwhile, according to the engineers of Nagarjunasagar project, they have already received a request from their A.P. counterparts to release 7,000 cusecs of water into NS Right Canal from 5 a.m. on May 23.
