Chennai’s water supply is facing fresh pressure after Andhra Pradesh reportedly released only 3 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of the water due to Tamil Nadu under the Telugu Ganga agreement, leaving the balance allocation pending.
According to a report by Dinamalar, Andhra Pradesh has stopped releases from the Kandaleru reservoir without providing the remaining water expected for the current year. The water is carried through canals to Poondi reservoir in Tamil Nadu and then routed towards the Puzhal and Chembarambakkam reservoirs, which are among the key water sources for Chennai.
Under the agreement between Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh, 11 TMC of water is supposed to be released to Tamil Nadu annually from Kandaleru. Andhra Pradesh also receives an annual payment of Rs 100 crore from the Tamil Nadu government towards canal maintenance, the report said.
The reported shortfall has prompted Tamil Nadu to seek discussions with Andhra Pradesh over the release of the pending water. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay travelled to Vijayawada on the 13th to meet Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. The visit was intended to support talks on securing the remaining allocation, according to the report.
A seven-member team of Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department officials had travelled to Vijayawada two days earlier. The team reportedly included Mariappan, supervising engineer of the Palar Basin Division, Mahendran, executive engineer of the Krishna Water Supply Division, assistant engineers and drivers. Officials carried records on annual water releases to Tamil Nadu and the maintenance payments made under the arrangement.
The material was prepared for a review meeting that officials expected to take place at the Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister’s camp office. However, the report said that no such review meeting was held. Vijay and Naidu instead held a one-hour discussion, after which the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister attended the Vijayawada Utsav programme before returning to Chennai that night.
The report also said that senior officials from Tamil Nadu’s Water Resources Department travelled to Vijayawada, including Secretary Prashanth Vadnere and Subramanian, chairman of the inter-state rivers technical division. Government secretaries accompanying the Chief Minister were also present in Vijayawada.
Following the Chief Minister’s return, the Water Resources Department officials travelled to Tirupati before returning to Chennai after darshan the following afternoon, Dinamalar reported. The account did not provide details of any fresh release schedule, a formal joint statement from the two state governments or a revised timeline for delivery of the pending water.
The immediate issue for Chennai is whether the remaining water under the annual Telugu Ganga allocation will be released from Kandaleru and conveyed through the inter-state canal system. Further clarity is expected from the two governments on the release schedule and the outcome of their discussions.
