In absence of inflows, KRMB asks TS, AP to utilise available water judiciously

The three-member committee of the river board was held on July 18 and 19 to discuss the indents for water placed by the Engineers-in-Chief of Telangana on July 19 and of AP on July 12. The committee had observed that the as on July 17, the live storage available in Nagarjunasagar was only 13.984 tmc ft and it had come down further to 12.731 tmc ft on July 21.

The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has ordered the authorities of the Nagarjunasagar project, one of the two common reservoirs for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh and managed by Telangana, to release 4.2 tmc ft wat to AP from Right Canal for July and 8.5 tmc ft to Telangana for July-September period.

Live storage of water in Nagarjunasagar was only 12.731 tmc ft at 6 am on July 21, but the release of water was recommended keeping in view the drinking and irrigation needs of the two States, based on the available water, the river board order released on Friday stated.

The three-member committee of the river board was held on July 18 and 19 to discuss the indents for water placed by the Engineers-in-Chief of Telangana on July 19 and of AP on July 12. The committee had observed that the as on July 17, the live storage available in Nagarjunasagar was only 13.984 tmc ft and it had come down further to 12.731 tmc ft on July 21.

It was noted that Telangana had utilised 5.282 tmc ft water as on July 17 from Nagarjunasagar and 1.386 tmc ft from Srisailam this water year, since June 1, for its irrigation and drinking water requirements. After deliberations, the three-member committee had ratified the utilisation of 5.282 tmc ft by Telangana in June and July and recommended for immediate release of 5 tmc ft water to AP and10 tmc ft to Telangana from Nagarjunsagar.

However, as the availability of water (live storage) was down to only 12.731 tmc ft at 6 am on July 21, the water release was modified accordingly. The river board stated that the indents approved include utilisations made already by the two States till July 21 from June 1. The board has instructed the authorities to measure the quantity of water releases at various outlets and account them and the releases should not exceed the approved indents.

Further, the river board preferred release of water from Nagarjunasagar after power generations to derive the dual benefits and water could be released directly through canals only if there was no power demand but there should not be any water releases exclusives for power generation.