Karnataka releases water from Narayanpur to Jurala

Cleared: ARUN

Hyderabad: To meet drinking water requirements of Telangana, especially drinking water schemes under Jurala reservoir, the Karnataka government has agreed to release 2.5 tmcft from Narayanpur dam to Jurala. Water was released from Narayanpur on Friday evening.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao spoke to his Karnataka counterpart HD Kumaraswamy and urged him to direct the project authorities to release 3 tmcft.

Since KCR maintains a good rapport with Kumaraswamy, directions were given for immediate release of water.

Chief secretary SK Joshi had written a letter to his Karnataka counterpart TM Vijaya Bhaskar in March seeking 3 tmcft in view of acute shortage of drinking water for habitations depending on Jurala project.

Officials of Telangana chief minister’s office (CMO) said Kumaraswamy personally called up KCR and told him about the decision to release water. KCR thanked Kumaraswamy for his prompt action. “Both CMs expressed a desire that the cordial and friendly relationship between the two states should continue,” the CMO officials said.

The authorities brought the issue of depleting water levels in Jurala to the government notice and released 1,492 cusecs to Jurala from Sangambanda under Bheema lift irrigation project on Sunday to meet drinking water requirement. As of now, Jurala has been providing water to six lakh people in Jogulamba Gadwal district under Mission Bhagiratha scheme.

Officials said water reservoirs like Ramanpadu and Jamulamma that provide water to Gadwal town and surrounding areas depend on Jurala water. “Jurala needs to maintain at least 4 tmcft. The present storage is 2 tmcft. To maintain the level, the government had urged Karnataka to release water from upstream Narayanpur dam,” a senior official said.