Fearing backlash, K'taka holds back on water to T amid polls

HYDERABAD: The vagaries of climate change may not have made it to the manifestos of parties in this Lok Sabha election, but drinking water is all set to become a prickly political issue just days before people line up to vote in Telangana on May 13.
As water levels dip in reservoirs across the state, the govt is hoping Karnataka comes to its rescue. If Karnataka releases 5 thousand million cubic feet (tmcft) of water from Narayanpur dam on Krishna river, it would help fend off a looming water crisis over Hyderabad city.Chief minister A Revanth Reddy had a couple of weeks ago asked irrigation officials to approach the neighbouring state to release water given that both Karnataka and Telangana are governed by the Congress.
But there is a catch. Bengaluru too is facing a water crisis. Karnataka may consider releasing water to Telangana only after May 7 after the second phase of Lok Sabha polls ends there. "The Karnataka govt had declared a crop holiday for the Rabi season in the Krishna basin, especially Almatti and Narayanpur catchment areas. If Karnataka releases water to Telangana now, fear is that it will give ammo to opposition parties to blame that state govt of serving the interests of neighbouring states and ignoring its own farmers," an official said.
Sources added that Bengaluru depends on Cauvery water, not the Krishna river, for its drinking water needs. But leaders there fear that sharing even a drop at this point would create a controversy.
The Telangana chief minister's office (CMO) and chief secretary A Santhi Kumari, reportedly felt the present water levels can be managed to meet drinking water requirements of Hyderabad till mid May.
The Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) permitted the state to use 8.5 tmcft last month from Nagarjuna Sagar. Officials said there was no need to panic immediately as all drinking water sources of Hyderabad have about 22 tmcft.
At present, water level in Nagarjuna Sagar, one of the main sources of drinking water for Hyderabad, is 505 feet against the full reservoir level (FRL) of 590 feet. Srisailam dam water reserves are at 808 feet against 885 FRL. Sripada Yellampally project, which also provides Godavari water to parts of the city, is better compared to Krishna with 863 feet water against the 885 full reservoir level.