Krishna water released from Srisailam dam

Hyderabad, July 7 (UNI) Much to the jubilation of farmers of the Krishna Delta, Irrigation Minister P Lakshmaiah tonight released the Krishna water from Srisailam on the eve of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy's 59th birthday.

The huge inflow of more than 3.20 lakh cusecs from the upper riparian states of Karnataka and Maharashtra forced the irrigation authorities, who had planned the water release tomorrow to coincide with Dr Reddy's birthday, to release water today to ensure the reservoir's safety.

For the first time in the recent times, Srisailam reservoir had filled up in the first week of July itself with realisation of more than 130 TMC from the reservoir's own catchment area in the Rayalaseema region, the native of the Chief Minister.

With Almatti and Narayanpur in Karnataka receiving inflows of more than 2.40 lakh cusecs and 2.43 lakh cusecs each, the irrigation authorities expected Nagarjunasagar, downstream of Srisailam, getting filled up during this month itself.

Meanwhile, the authorities let out more than four lakh cusecs into the sea from the Dowleswaram barrage, anticipating more inflow into the river Godavari following heavy rains in the catchment areas in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.

UNI