Chandrababu obliges Panneerselvam's request to release Krishna water for TN

Tamil Nadu CM highlights that this was possible only because of the understanding between two states

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu O Panneerselvam on Thursday requested Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu for further release of Krishna water from Kandaleru Reservoir to meet Chennai's drinking water needs during their meeting in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh.

While thanking Chandrababu Naidu for immediately accepting Tamil Nadu's request and ensuring the flow of water from January 9, 2017, O Panneerselvam highlighted that this was possible only because of the goodwill and mutual understanding between the two States.

Tamil Nadu is mainly dependent on the Northeast monsoon which has totally failed this season leading to a drought in the state. Chennai largely depends on the Northeast monsoon rainfall for its drinking water supply. This year, the Northeast monsoon was grossly insufficient and the rainfall in the area in and around Chennai was 57 per cent deficient.

Even the Vardah Cyclone, which devastated Chennai and its suburbs in December 2016, did not bring much rainfall. Water for Chennai is stored in 4 reservoirs which have a combined gross storage of 11.057 thousand million cubic (tmc) feet. As on date the storage in the 4 reservoirs is just 1.504 tmc feet which are very low and is inadequate meet the drinking water needs of Chennai. As a consequence, there is a dire need of assured water supply from the Telugu Ganga Project to support Chennai's drinking water needs.

Panneerselvam pointed out that according to the Krishna Water Agreement in 1983, Tamil Nadu has to be supplied 12 tmc feet of water in a year at the Tamil Nadu border. This supply is to be in two spells of 8 tmc feet from July to October and the second spell of 4 tmc feet from January to April. During 2015-2016, Tamil Nadu did not receive any water from the Telugu Ganga Project. During 2016-2017, Tamil Nadu received only 0.991 tmc feet of water.

The agreement also covers the cost sharing for the project towards the common components between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh. Tamil Nadu has so far paid Rs 687 crore to the Government of Andhra Pradesh for the project. There are some accounting issues relating to costs which are being reconciled. Tamil Nadu has been instructed to make an immediate release of funds towards Tamil Nadu's share of the project's cost.

The Somasila Reservoir has about 34.81 tmc feet and Kandaleru Reservoir has 13.24 tmc feet of water. The present rate of flow of about 1000 cusecs released from Kandaleru Reservoir for Chennai drinking water supply is inadequate given the acute drinking water supply position, said Panneerselvam. Hence, he requested his counterpart to step up the release of water from Kandaleru so that at least 5 tmc feet of water is realised by Tamil Nadu in the coming months.

Naidu also pointed out that Andhra Pradesh also had a deficient Northeast monsoon. However, he stated that he would consider the request of Tamil Nadu positively. Naidu suggested that detailed modalities may be worked out by the officials of both states.