A major water crisis is looming with the AP High Court ordering the government not to release water from the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar dams beyond 834 feet and 510 feet respectively. This will lead to non-availability of irrigation water for the Kharif crop in the Krishna delta region, as well as shortage of drinking water for Hyderabad city.
Ironically, the Godavari barrage near Rajahmundry is discharging four lakh cusecs of water into the sea against the required 11,000 cusecs for irrigation under the Godavari delta system. Out of 13 lakh acres of the Krishna delta in four districts, paddy nurseries have been raised on six lakh acres and transplantation is in progress. These areas require 17,000 cusecs of water against the present 3,000 cusecs they are getting from the rainwater collected between Nagarjunasagar dam and Prakasam barrage at Vijayawada.
Rains play truant in 4 districts
While rains may have caused havoc in Hyderabad, at least four districts in the rest of the state reel under severe deficit and nine others have barely received any rain. Anantapur (-27 per cent), Visakhapatnam (-24), Nalgonda (-22) and Nellore (-22) have been badly hit by deficit (-20 per cent to -59 per cent), according to the latest report of the state government.
The average rainfall in the state from June 1 to July 26 is 257.2 mm as against the normal as on date of 268.9 mm, showing a deficit of -4 per cent. From -23 per cent overall rainfall deficit in the state in June, it has now dropped to -4 per cent thanks to widespread rains in some districts. Nine districts received less rainfall ranging from -2 per cent to -19 per cent. They are Karimnagar, Nizamabad (both -19 per cent), Mahbubnagar -18 per cent, Adilabad -16 per cent, Kurnool -14 per cent, Kadapa, East Godavari -6 per cent, Vizianagaram -5 per cent and Warangal -2 per cent.
Indian Meteorological Department on Thursday predicted isolated heavy rains in the next 48 hours in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Khammam districts.