Hyderabad The alleged theft of water from the Nagarjuna Sagar tail pond has become a new addition to list of controversies revolving around the management of the state’s precious water resources ever since the Congress Party was voted to power.
The water reserve in the NSP tail-pond is the exclusive property of the TS Genco.
The pond, which had a storage capacity of 7 tmc was meant to meet the energy needs and even drinking water needs in emergencies.
Taking the Genco off guard, nearly four tmc of the precious reserve of the State were drawn by Andhra Pradesh. As the issue was brought to light by the former minister for power and BRS G Jagadish Reddy, the NSP Chief Engineer V Ajay Kumar obtained a report from the T S Genco and the issue was taken up with the Krishna river Management Board. The board in turn called for the version of AP Irrigation Department.
The tail-pond, located 21 km downstream of the Nagarjuna sagar dam in Nalgonda district, had for the past ten years been holding water even during summer season for emergencies.
The TS Genco is being held responsible for its failure to protect the precious water at a time when the State, which is facing scarcity conditions, seeking emergency releases from the neighbouring states like Karnataka.
The water unauthorisedly released from the tail pond reaches Pulichintala project benefitting Andhra Pradesh. The row over unauthorised drawl of water from the tail-pond water is likely to trigger a fresh flare up in conflict over the Krishna water sharing between the two Telugu states.
The state is going to make a strong case of the issue depending on the stand to be taken by the river management board after receiving AP’s response, said officials.