Why does Revanth Reddy want to urge KRMB, when projects not handed over?

HYDERBAD: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has asked officials of irrigation department to review in detail the requirement of water and write to KRMB (Krishna River Management Board) seeking permission to draw from Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects for drinking purposes.

Revanth Reddy reviewed the measures to tackle drinking water crisis in ensuing summer season with ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and senior officials of Panchayat Raj, Municipal Administration and Urban Development and drinking water supply wings here on Thursday.

Also Read: Uttam slams BRS for spreading misinformation on projects being handed over to KRMB

But what is interesting here is that he and his government announced recently that the projects on the River Krishna were not handed over the KRMB. Uttam Kumar Reddy also insisted that the projects were not handed over and a resolution to this effect was adopted in the recent Budget session of the Telangana Assembly. If t he projects were not handed over to the KRMB, where does the question of writing to KRMB arise at all? This direction from none other than the Chief Minister means that the projects are not in the control of Telangana Government, but have been handed over to the KRMB.

Also Read: Telangana agrees to management of projects by KRMB, three-member committee to decide on share in waters

The Chief Minister wanted the officials to ensure that drinking water crisis did not arise during the summer. In the light of water levels reaching dead storage levels in many reservoirs due to deficit rainfall this year.

The officials explained to the Chief Minister the details of water storage in the reservoirs and the quantity required for drinking water purposes in the state. He wanted them to prepare a plan for supplying drinking water to every household in thandas, gudems, SC colonies , villages and urban areas. The action plan should be prepared by Irrigation, MA&UD, Panchayat Raj and Drinking water supply departments together.

Don’t give water to Andhra Pradesh for irrigation

Officials explained to the Chief Minister that Andhra Pradesh was drawing more than 9 TMC from Nagarjuna Sagar for drinking water needs. The Chief Minister asked the officials to properly assess the utilisation of water and ensure that water was not diverted for other purposes.

The officials told the CM that the state did not face any water crisis as the Jurala project was filled with rainwater during April and May in the past. Otherwise, the state would have had to request the Karnataka government for release of water from Narayanpur reservoir. The state drew water from the reservoir three years ago.

Revanth Reddy suggested to the officials to write to KRMB first and then consider the request for seeking water release from Karnataka as the last option.

The CM asked the Chief Secretary to review with the District Collectors in two days on available water resources in their respective districts, drinking water needs and the steps to be taken to overcome the crisis to ensure that there was no drinking water problem anywhere till the end of July.

GHMC drinking water supply

Revanth Reddy asked the officials to ensure that there was no problem in drinking water supply within the Greater Hyderabad City Corporation (GHMC) limits. Officials said that alternative arrangements for water supply from Yellampalli and Nagarjuna Sagar would be made in case the city witnessed shortage in the summer. When the officials drew his attention that police were creating trouble in the movement of water tankers in some parts of the city, he directed the police officials to ensure hassle-free movement of drinking water tankers till the end of summer.