The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) has approved fresh indents for water utilisation by Telangana and Andhra Pradesh till the end of August.

A total of 54.67 tmc ft water has been approved to be utilised till the month-end. However, it includes the quantity of water already availed (drawn) by the two States from the two common sources – Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs – from June 1 this year.

Member Secretary of the river board Harikesh Meena issued the water release order on Wednesday after his telephonic discussions with the Engineers-in-Chief (ENCs) of the two States on August 4 and also considering the request letters of AP written to the board on July 20 and 23 and of Telangana written on July 30 to meet the drinking water and irrigation needs.

The river board has assessed the availability of water above the minimum draw down level (MDDL) in the two common reservoirs as on August 3 as 110.44 tmc ft., including 29.68 tmc ft. in Srisailam and 80.76 tmc ft. in Nagarjunasagar.

As per the fresh approval of the indents, Telangana is entitled to draw 7.746 tmc from Srisailam for Kalwakurthy lift and 22.19 tmc ft for Left Canal and Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project and 7.74 tmc ft for Mission Bhagiratha and Hyderabad city from Nagarjunasagar. Similarly, AP is entitled to draw 9 tmc ft for Pothireddypadu and Chennai drinking water and 8 tmc ft for Handri-Neeva lift from Srisailam. The quantities approved for the two States include the water already availed from June 1.

The ENC of AP did not agree for the request of Telangana ENC to consider the savings and carry over storages in the water share allocated to it in the previous (2019-20) water year while approving the fresh indents stating that any of the two States can not carry forward its savings and un-utilised share of water allocated in the previous year.

The Member Secretary suggested the two ENCs to take up discussion on the issue at a separate meeting or in the three-member committee meeting.