The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has approved release of 105 tmc ft water to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh till the end of the current water year or May 31.
According to the river board officials, the approved quantity of water at the disposal of Telangana is 85 tmc ft, including 6 tmc ft supply for Hyderabad water board, and for AP it is 20 tmc ft, based on the indents placed by the two States and their balance eligibility shares.
The indents placed by the two member States were discussed at a virtual meet held on March 10. Before approving the quantities for the two States, a three-member committee considered the indents placed by AP through its letters dated February 25, March 11 and 14 and by Telangana on February 14. The panel also considered the utilisation of water by the two States as per the data available with the river board.
A water release order issued by the river board stated that AP would be allowed to draw 8 tmc ft water through Nagarjunasagar Left Canal (NSLC) and another 12 tmc ft from Right Canal (NSRC). Telangana would be allowed to draw 79 tmc ft water through NSLC and another 6 tmc ft for drinking needs of Hyderabad till May 31.
The river board made it clear that water was not available for drawal from Srisailam as on March 7 itself as only 30.528 tmc ft (803.1 ft) gross storage was available against the minimum draw down level (MDDL) of 53.851 tmc ft (834 ft). However, in Nagarjunasagar, 118.881 tmc ft water was available for drawal above MDDL as the gross storage was 250.550 tmc ft (567.6 ft) against the MDDL of 131.669 tmc ft (510 ft).
As on 6 p.m. on March 20, total water available in Nagarjunasagar was 230.293 tmc ft (559.2 ft) and in Srisailam it was 30.357 tmc ft (802.7 ft). The river board has stipulated that the quantity of water releases at various outlets be measured and accounted for and should not exceed the approved quantities.
Further, the river board has asked the two States that water releases from Nagarjunasagar shall be preferably through power houses so as to derive power generation benefits. In case there is no power demand or the releases are not as per actual requirements of the generating stations, the water could be released through canals and there shall not be water releases exclusively for power generation. Besides, water releases from NSLC to AP shall be simultaneous with releases to Telangana to minimise losses.
