Hyderabad, December 1: In an attempt to address the escalating tensions surrounding the release of Nagarjuna Sagar waters, the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh have concurred with the proposals put forth by Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla. The consensus involves transferring the management of the dam to Krishna Water Management and placing it under the supervision of CRPF forces.
Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla conducted a video conference today with the chief secretaries and DGPs of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The discussion primarily focused on the controversy arising from Andhra Pradesh’s unilateral deployment of armed forces on November 29 and the subsequent release of water through the right canal of Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. Officials from the Union Water Resources Ministry, Central Jal Sangam, and Krishna River Water Management Board were also present during the virtual meeting.
Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari of the Telangana State Government highlighted that on the night of November 29, approximately 500 armed police from Andhra Pradesh arrived at Nagarjuna Sagar Dam. They reportedly vandalized CCTV cameras, opened the head regulators at gates 5 and 7, and released around five thousand cusecs of water. Kumari expressed concern that such actions during the ongoing Telangana Legislative Assembly elections posed a threat to peace and security in the state. This incident marked the second time Andhra Pradesh had engaged in such transgressions.
Shanti Kumari further emphasized the potential impact of Andhra Pradesh’s actions on the drinking water needs of around two crore people in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas. She appealed to Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla to maintain the status quo that has been in place since 2014.
In response, Union Home Secretary Bhalla asserted the need to maintain the previous status quo on Nagarjuna Sagar Dam and announced the temporary placement of the dam under the supervision of the Central Reserve Police Force. Bhalla mentioned that a special meeting, convened by the Secretary of the Union Water Resources Department, will further address this issue.
The video conference participants included State Government Chief Secretary Shanti Kumari, DGP Anjani Kumar, Irrigation Department Secretary Smita Sabharwal, GAD Secretary Seshadri, Home Department Principal Secretary Jitender, Additional DG SK Jain, IG Shah Nawaz Kashim, Irrigation Department Advisor Muralidhar, and OSD Sridhar Desh Pandey.
