AP Urges KRMB to Stop Telangana Drawing Water for Power from Srisailam, Sagar Projects
AP, he said, also requires water for meeting the irrigation and drinking needs of drought-prone Rayalaseema region as the inflow into the Srisailam project is dwindling.
Vijayawada: The Andhra Pradesh government has sought intervention of the Krishna River Management Board to stop Telangana from a unilateral drawal of water through the Srisailam Left Power House for power generation.
AP water resources department engineer-in-chief Narasimha Murthy sent a letter to KRMB chairman in Hyderabad, saying, “Our chief engineer from Kurnool had requested the chief engineers of Srisailam left bank hydro electric station in Telangana and the Srisailam right bank hydro electric station in AP respectively to stop drawal of water for power generation from the Srisailam reservoir, so as enable AP meet the Chennai water requirement.”
AP, he said, also requires water for meeting the irrigation and drinking needs of drought-prone Rayalaseema region as the inflow into the Srisailam project is dwindling.
He said that though AP had gradually decreased drawal of water for power generation through the right power house up to 842 cusecs by Oct.23, Telangana did not do so. Telangana drew 34,743 cusecs of water from its left power house by the same time.
Telangana, he said, drew 28,292 cusecs of water from the Nagarjuana Sagar project and 16,600 cusecs from Pulichintala project by Oct. 23.
The engineer-in-chief said Telangana was depleting the water of common reservoirs for its power generation even as there was no considerable inflows from upstream projects. The water release from Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar (main power house) projects was leading to filling up of the Pulichintala project, which in turn was releasing water to Prakasam barrage. The surplus water is being released into the sea, it was noted.
He recalled the KRMB chairman’s remarks on its recent 16th meeting and stated, “As per provisions of AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, in case of any conflict with regard to demand for water for irrigation and power, the requirement for irrigation would take precedence.”
He requested KRMB to instruct Telangana to stop usage of water for its power generation from both Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects.
