Tension at Nagarjunasagar Dam Over Water Release by Andhra Pradesh

Tension prevailed at the Nagarjunasagar dam site in Nalgonda district on Wednesday afternoon after Andhra Pradesh authorities released water to the Right Canal without approval from the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB), despite objections raised by Telangana.

Following the move by Andhra Pradesh, Telangana irrigation officials began releasing water into the Left Canal as a retaliatory measure. According to sources in the Telangana Irrigation Department, Andhra Pradesh initially began drawing 2,000 cusecs. By 9 p.m. on Wednesday, Andhra Pradesh was drawing 4,050 cusecs through the Right Canal, while Telangana was drawing 1,580 cusecs for the Left Canal.

The confrontation follows an August 24 meeting of a three-member KRMB committee that ended without a decision on water sharing and release protocols. The committee had scheduled its next meeting for September 4. As of Wednesday evening, the Nagarjunasagar reservoir held 181.3 tmc ft of water against its total storage capacity of 312 tmc ft.

Telangana irrigation sources also noted that Andhra Pradesh authorities were drawing water from Srisailam via the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator and the Handri-Neeva pumping system to take water to outside basin areas before the common reservoir achieved surplus levels.

Reacting to the developments, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) leader and former Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao criticized the Congress-led State government for failing to protect Telangana's river water interests. Harish Rao pointed out that Andhra Pradesh had requested 47 tmc ft of water from Nagarjunasagar, a matter pending KRMB committee review, yet proceeded to draw water unilaterally.

Harish Rao also alleged that Andhra Pradesh was drawing 11 tmc ft of water from Srisailam through the Veligonda project tunnels, alongside withdrawals from the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator and Handri-Neeva station. He called for immediate KRMB intervention and urged Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy to take up the issue with the Union Minister of Jal Shakti.