Hyderabad: The Telangana state government’s request to maintain minimum water level of 510 feet in Nagarjunasagar dam to ensure water supply to Hyderabad, has been turned down by the Krishna River Management Board.
The Board made it clear that it was also not possible to release water from Srisailam to Nagarjunasagar to ensure the minimum level of 510 feet. The TS government will now have to look out for other sources to ensure adequate water supply to the city during summer.
The Board said both Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar have already hit minimum levels and it has to ensure irrigation and drinking water needs are met in both the states by releasing water from dams, and under these circumstances, it was not possible to maintain 510 feet in Nagarjunasagar till April 15, as sought by the Telangana government. In Undivided AP, when the water level in Nagarjunasagar fell to 510 feet, the state government used to release water from the Srisailam dam to ensure minimum level of 510 feet, for Hyderabad’s needs.
However, with the bifurcation of the state, the priorities have changed for the AP government.
It argues that it cannot release water from Srisailam to ensure water for Hyderabad since it has to meet the irrigation and drinking water needs of its own state. However, the TS government has been arguing that since Hyderabad remains the joint capital of both TS and AP for 10 years as per AP Reorganisation Act, the AP government is liable to ensure water supply for the city.
The pumping motors of HMWSSB at Nagarjunasagar have been installed in such a manner that they pump more water if the water level is above 510 feet. If it falls below this level, the motors do not function to their full capacity and risk getting damaged.
“We have written to KRMB to ensure 510 feet of water in Nagarjunasagar. But we received a reply stating that it was not possible under present circumstances when water levels at Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam have already hit minimum levels,” said T Harish Rao, irrigation minister.
