Andhra attempts take-over of Nagarjuna Sagar Project

Telangana Irrigation officials are gearing up to resume control of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project operations while working out strategies to smoothly handle the dam site confrontation with Andhra Pradesh

Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation officials are gearing up to resume control of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project operations while working out strategies to smoothly handle the dam site confrontation with Andhra Pradesh. In a midnight swoop, AP officials accompanied by over 400 armed personnel stormed into the facilities on the dam and took over the control of operation of the head regulator of the right canal of the project along with 13 of the crest gates on its side.

They faced hardly any resistance as the entire force, barring 20 policemen, protecting the project was away after being deployed for poll duty in different districts. Reinforcements sought by project authorities were expected to reach the dam on Thursday night. The project Chief Engineer has already appraised the State government of the situation and has also posted the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) of the developments at the project.

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Irrigation officials are of the view that AP had planned the operation under the supervision of the Superintendent of Police of Guntur at a time when Telangana police personnel stationed at the dam were drafted for election duty. The personnel will be back only after handing over the electronic voting machines (EVMs) to the returning officers concerned. The Project Chief Engineer had already mobilized required men and machinery to remove encroachments on the dam.

All the crest gates and head regulators of the dam were upgraded to operate on auto mode. The moment operation of the crest gates and head regulator were taken over by AP, officials from Telangana, in a preemptive move, withdrew power supply to the head regulator. Within hours, the AP officials restored power supply to the right canal head regulator from their local sources and started drawing some 10,000 cusecs of water through the right canal to support standing crops.

As per the standard operating procedure, the Srisailam project was placed under the operational control of Andhra Pradesh, while Nagarajuna Sagar Project was placed under the control of Telangana. The water level in the Nagarjuna Sagar Project was close to the minimum draw down level (MDDL) of 510 feet. Both the States had already agreed to use the water available in the project only to meet drinking water needs.

But backing out from its commitment, AP started drawing water for irrigation purposes. The Andhra government’s act is highly “reprehensible” and would be taken up with the Centre if the KRMB failed to act against AP in this case, a senior Irrigation official said.

AP takes control of 13 crest gates

Right canal head regulator also take over by AP

TS waiting for reinforcements reach dam site

AP starts drawing 10,000 cusecs to meet irrigation needs

KRMB posted of AP’s move