Use Drinking Water Allocation with Care: KRMB Tells AP, Telangana
The KRMB further said that the water release order shall be implemented “in letter and spirit duly considering common needs of both the states”
HYDERABAD: The Krishna River Management Board on Thursday warned of “acute shortage of availability of water” in the Srisailam, and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs, and urged Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana to use the water allocated to them till end of July “judiciously for meeting drinking water needs only.”
The KRMB, which took stock of the requests from Telangana and AP for allocation of drinking water needs, in its orders, said the total water availability at the two reservoirs, below the regular minimum draw down levels, is 16.972 TMCft. Of this, Telangana can use 10. 26 TMCft, while AP can use 4 TMCft, the KRMB said. It further said this total water available at the revised Minimum Draw Down Levels (MDDL), also includes 4.243 TMCft that must be accounted towards evaporation and transmission losses.
The leftover water, around 2.71 TMC ft after the two states use their shares till the end of July should be “kept as cushion to meet unforeseen drinking water requirements till sufficient inflows are received” in the two common reservoirs, the KRMB said.
The Board said if the normal MDDL at Srisailam is 800 feet and Nagarjunasagar which is at 510 feet are taken into account, the water availability will only be 10.81 TMCft. But Telangana asked for 10.26 TMCft and AP sought 10 TMCft till end of July. Since the drinking water needs of the two states cannot be met at these levels, it was decided to bring down the MDDL for this purpose alone at Nagarjunasagar to 505 feet, and that the level at Srisailam will continue to be 800 feet.
Given the past fights between the two states over drawal of water from the two reservoirs with Telangana repeatedly complaining to KRMB that AP was drawing more than its allocated share of water, the Board declared that the concerned chief engineers of the two states “will be responsible” for judicious delivery of water, and this must be reported to KRMB “invariably as a joint statement by both state government officers.”
The KRMB further said that the water release order shall be implemented “in letter and spirit duly considering common needs of both the states.”
Water availability at Srisailam (at 800 ft) – 8.422 TMC
Water availability at Nagarjunasagar (at 505 ft) – 12.793 TMC
Evaporation and transmission losses – 4.243 TMC
Available water at two reservoirs – 16.972 TMC
Drinking water share of Telangana – 10.26 TMC
Drinking water share of AP – 4 TMC
