TS writes to Ministry of Jal Shakti for additional water from Krishna

Hyderabad: Alarmed by the distress signals being received with the depleting storage levels in irrigation projects supporting the drinking water supply system, the State government has knocked the doors of the Centre for additional releases from Nagarjuna Sagar Project.

It has already dashed off a letter to both the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the Krishna River Management Board to this effect.

The State in fact wanted the precious little left in the project to be spared only for its drinking water needs. But both the Ministry of Jal Shakti and the KRMB are yet to respond to the special request made by the State.

Though the State has made the request in view of the gravity of the situation, the river management board did not respond so far, as it would amount to displeasing Andhra Pradesh, that too in an election year, sources said.

The Board officials made it clear that Telangana had already exhausted its allotted quota of 35 tmc for the current water year. In fact it had drawn more.

Its additional requirements could only be discussed in the three member committee meeting of the KRMB scheduled for April 12. AP officials have also been very firm on availing their entitled to meet its drinking water needs.

AP was also left with less than three TMC of unutilised share after their recent drawls from the right canal.

It started drawing water from Right canal once again on Monday and they were planning to avail another two tmc in the current spell.

So far as the indents made for meeting drinking water needs are concerned, the board will accord priority irrespective of the States making the request , they added.

The KRMB three member committee meeting is going to be the crucial one to discuss the sharing of water available above the MDDL (510 ft ) of the Nagarjuna Sagar.