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.
