Utilising the opportunity of Telangana being occupied with the much awaited assembly elections in state, the neighbouring Andhra Pradesh government in a late-night operation, reportedly took over half of the Nagarjunasagar Dam on the Krishna river. Moreover it also released water to its side and has barricaded the occupied half.
The incumbent government under CM K Chandrasekhara Rao has complained to the Krishna River Management Board, the authority responsible for the management and water flow of the dam between the two states.
About the late-night operation
As per media reports, the late-night operation involved about 400 police personnelwho were sent with a group of irrigation officials in a bid to ‘occupy’ half of the Nagarjunasagar dam. It has been reported that the government officials took control of 18 of the 36 gates of the dam.
Upon being tipped off about the AP government's surreptitious move, Telangana officials arrived with local cops and were told that the Andhra police personnel and the irrigation officials were there on orders of the Jagan Mohan Reddy government.
Ambati Rambabu, the minister of water resources in the Andhra Pradesh government, has shared a post on X, saying water will be released from the Nagarjunasagar dam to meet the drinking needs of the people of his state.
A similar attempt at ‘occupying’ the dam was also made 3 years ago, but it was thwarted, Telangana officials have informed.
AP and Telangana's fight over Ngarjunasagar dam
Andhra Pradesh and Telangana governments have been fighting over this dam since Telangana state came into existence in 2014.
As of now, the Andhra Pradesh government has provided separate power lines for the regulator gates under their control.
They are releasing 10,000 cusecs of water.
The Telangana CM’s office has informed that the AP cops and officials have even damaged some CCTVs and broke down an automated gate at the dam. Telangana government is saying that Andhra officials must have planned for the operation for several weeks.
As per the Andhra Reorganisation Act, Telangana was given the control and supervision of the Nagarjunasagar Dam, while Andhra Pradesh was given the control ver the Srisailam Project. The Nagarjunasagar Dam and the Srisailam Project are joint storage facilities meeting the power generation, irrigation, and drinking needs of the 2 states.
