AP obstructing Srisailam water release to NSP: Harish Rao

Hyderabad, Sept.27: Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao has alleged that the Andhra Pradesh government was obstructing the release of water from Srisailam to Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir. Harish Rao had a meeting with the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) Chairman Ramasharan, member-secretary Sameer Chatterjee today. Telangana State Advisor R Vidyasagar Rao, Special Chief Secretary SK Joshi, ENC Vijaya Prakash, Irrigation Department OSD Sridhar Rao Deshpande, Nagarjunasagar CE Sunil and others participated in the meeting. The Minister asked Chatterjee to take a high level official team to Pothireddypadu to find facts on diversion of water to Andhra Pradesh through Pothireddypadu. Chatterjee expressed his willingness in this regard. The team will visit Pothireddypadu project soon. Harish explained to Chatterjee that the Andhra Pradesh government was diverting water illegally to its land through Pothireddy Padu leading to water scarcity to Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir. He said Nagarjunasagar reservoir has not received water adequately due to fewer outflows from Srisailam Dam. He argued with Chatterjee that the Telangana government has already lodged a complaint with the KRMB that the Andhra Pradesh government was diverting water from Krishna River through Pothireddypadu, though it was located in Penna basin in Kurnool district. He alleged that Krishna Board remained as a mute spectator in this episode instead of releasing water to Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir from Srisailam dam. He asked Chatterjee whether the looting of water by Andhra Pradesh state has to continue till the telemetry equipment were set up to distribute the water to Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Asking Krishna Board member secretary to initiate action leaving mute spectator role, Harish Rao expressed unhappiness over Andhra Pradesh state attitude though he lodged a complaint with the Central Water Commission. Harish Rao said that a team from Telangana Irrigation Department conducted a study scientifically on diversion of Krishna Waters through Pothireddypadu few days ago. He said that the team found deadly truths when it visited Pothireddypadu Head Regulator, Banakacharla Complex. The Andhra Pradesh government was showing in records that only hundreds of cusecs of water were diverting through Pothireddypadu. But in reality, the Andhra Pradesh government was diverting thousands of cusecs of water, Harish lamented. He alleged that the Andhra Pradesh state was showing falsehood figures on diverting waters from Krishna River through Pothireddypadu and said that the water supposed to be reached to Srisailam was going to Rayalaseema through Pothireddypadu illegally. The Andhra Pradesh government transformed the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator canal as a River and looting water heavily, Harish Rao claimed.