The Hindu 20.02.2013
Water crisis looms as Sagar goes ‘dry’
Water plummets to the lowest level recorded at Nagarjunasagar since 2005.
The water level in Nagarjunasagar reservoir has plummeted to 511 feet, just one feet above the Minimum Draw Down Level (MDDL), fuelling concerns about shortage of drinking water in the days to come.
The High Court in a recent verdict had directed the Irrigation Department to maintain the MDDL.
“This is the lowest water level recorded at Nagarjunasagar since 2005. We faced a similar situation in 2012,” said a divisional engineer.
Water releases stopped
Irrigation officials said the release of water into both left and right canals has been stopped.
While releases into the right canal were stopped a month ago, water release into the left canal was stopped on February 12.
With the water level at the Srisailam reservoir too plummeting to an all-time low of 856 feet, just two feet above the MDDL of 854 feet, a drinking water crisis seems to be imminent.
For the beleaguered farmers in the parched uplands in Palnadu and the tail-end areas of the delta, the recent spell of rain has come as a pleasant surprise.
Water for crops
Though the rain damaged the standing crop in Bapatla and other areas, it has done a lot of good for the second crop in Narsaraopet and Macherla mandals. The rain provided the much needed wetting for the second crop and commercial crops.
Water release sought
District Collector S. Suresh Kumar said on Tuesday said that he had written to the State government seeking release of water to meet drinking water requirements.
“We will review the situation in March and if necessary, we will ask the government to release water to fill tanks,” Mr. Suresh Kumar said.
