Twin cities heading for severe water crisis this summer

PLIGHT OF PEOPLE

Nalgonda: A severe water crisis is looming large over the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad and Nalgonda district with the groundwater level declining fast and the Nagarjunasagar dam water, which caters to the needs of the people of the two Telugu States of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, reaching dead storage level. Thus, only 14 tmcft of water is available for utilisation in the dam, and another 10 tmcft cab drawn from Srisailam reservoir. At present, the water level in the Nagarjunasagar dam has fallen to 520 ft as against its full capacity of 590 ft. Every year, the dam receives 24 tmcft of water and 6 tmcft of water gets evaporated by August and the available water would be 18 tmcft that have to be utilised in Nalgonda and the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad.

The water in the dam is utilised in such a way as to meet the drinking water requirements in Nalgonda district, which needs 6 tmcft of and another 7 tmcft for irrigation purposes to cultivate the rabi crop. As a result, only 5 tmcft of water is available in the Nagarjunasagar reservoir and it can be utilised to meet the drinking water needs of Hyderabad and Secunderabad. If, for some reason or the other, some additional quantities of water have to be utilised for irrigation purposes in Nalgonda through the left canal, water crisis will hit Hyderabad and Secunderabad badly. Post bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, water wars have flared up between the two Telugu states. Earlier, in the undivided state of Andhra Pradesh, there was adequate quantities of water to meet the needs of the drinking water needs of Nalgonda and Hyderabad and for irrigating the kharif and Rabi crops.

However, the situation has completely changed now. When the Nagarjunasagar dam became full in August last year, the Telangana State government lifted the crust gates in September and the surplus water was released into the sea. However, there was a sea change in the situation with the two states fighting with each other for water for the purpose of agriculture. The crisis was resolved with the timely intervention of the Governor ESL Narasimhan. As a result, the two states entered into “Gentlemen’s agreement” and passed a resolution on February 14 this year, stating that it was decided to utilise the available water on a rotation system (Varabandi).

According to this agreement, 19 tmcft of water from the right canal and 18 tmcft of water from the left canal should be released. Apart from these, 14 tmcft of water would remain available in the dam. In addition, another 10 tmcft would be added through power generation from the Srisailam reservoir. If south-west monsoon is deficient this year, the people of Hyderabad would be in for a severe water crisis. Hence, the available water has to be utilised judiciously.

By Ashok