Fresh water row erupts between Telangana, Andhra Pradesh officials at Nagarjuna Sagar

Tension erupted at Nagarjuna Sagar after Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials allegedly released around 2,000 cusecs into the right canal without showing Telangana counterparts a KRMB authorisation. The confrontation reportedly turned physical, prompting police deployment at the project

Hyderabad: Tension gripped the Nagarjuna Sagar project on Wednesday after Andhra Pradesh irrigation officials released water into the right canal without prior permission from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB). Telangana irrigation officials, who sought their Andhra Pradesh counterparts to present the KRMB approval for water release, were allegedly attacked, triggering a confrontation at the project.

On Wednesday morning, the Andhra Pradesh officials reached the project, which is under the control of Telangana, without informing their counterparts and released around 2,000 cusecs from the right canal, citing drinking water requirements. They are learnt to have told Telangana officials that around 10 TMCft of water would be released for drinking water purposes.

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The move was opposed by Telangana irrigation officials, who sought a copy of the KRMB order authorising the release, but allegedly did not receive one. When the Telangana officials attempted to prevent the release in the absence of the order, they alleged that Andhra Pradesh officials physically assaulted them and pushed them away. The AP officials reportedly maintained that they had KRMB directions for the release.

The dispute assumes significance as the management of Nagarjuna Sagar is with Telangana. Telangana irrigation officials maintain records of the project’s water storage, inflows and releases into various canals, besides water utilised for Hyderabad’s drinking water requirements and power generation.

Following the release into the right canal, Telangana officials also released 500 cusecs into the left canal, citing drinking water requirements. Officials said releases into both canals were continuing. Police personnel were deployed at the project as a precautionary measure and were monitoring the situation to prevent any further confrontation between officials of the two States.

The latest confrontation comes days after a KRMB meeting held at Jalasoudha in Hyderabad, where irrigation officials of both States sought water releases to meet drinking water requirements. However, the three-member committee, comprising officials from both the States, deferred a decision on water utilisation from the Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar projects and postponed the meeting to September 4 to discuss drinking water requirements and likely water availability in the coming period.

With disputes over water releases from Nagarjuna Sagar having surfaced several times in the past, the latest confrontation has heightened tensions between the two States. Telangana officials said they would lodge a complaint with the KRMB over the incident.