AP Requests KRMB to Release Water For Drinking Needs Up to Oct.31
The rainfall forecast for August, September and October is also expected to remain below normal
VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh government has requested the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) to issue a water release order from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs to meet the drinking water requirements up to October 31.
In a letter to the KRMB chairman, AP water resources department engineer-in-chief K. Narasimha Murthy pointed out that the Krishna Basin has received only 49 per cent of normal rainfall during the current water year due to the prevailing El Nino conditions. The rainfall forecast for August, September and October is also expected to remain below normal.
Murthy underlined that the state government is closely monitoring water availability. It is being judiciously utilised, giving priority to meet drinking water requirements.
He explained that as on August 12, water availability in Srisailam has been 128.76 TMC feet, considering the minimum drawdown level of 834 feet. Nagarjuna Sagar has 17.79 TMC feet, considering the minimum drawdown level of 510 ft.
The engineer-in-chief said AP has utilised 13.62 TMC feet — 6.45 TMC feet from Srisailam and 7.17 TMC feet from Nagarjunasagar — while Telangana has utilised 20.06 TMC feet — 4.38 TMC feet from Srisailam, 6.89 TMC feet from Nagarjunasagar and 8.79 TMC feet from Jurala.
Murthy pointed out that the total water available in the common reservoirs above the minimum drawdown level is 146.55 TMC feet. After accounting for utilisation, AP's 70 per cent share stands at 115.70 TMC feet and Telangana's 30 per cent share is 30.85 TMC feet.
Given the critical availability of water in the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar, the engineer-in-chief said the highest priority must be given to the drinking water requirements in areas under these reservoirs.
Authorities estimate that the drinking water requirement up to October 31 will be 47 TMC feet from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar projects.
AP government has requested the KRMB to take an appropriate decision on utilisation of the available water from both projects to meet the drinking water requirements of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
