Telangana farmers dependent on the Krishna river irrigation system are set to receive relief after Karnataka agreed to release water from the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs in phases. The move comes amid concerns over water shortages and the need to protect standing crops in parts of southern Telangana.
According to reports, Telangana had sought additional Krishna water from Karnataka as farmers in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar region faced increasing water stress. The request was linked to irrigation requirements under projects including Jurala, Bhima, Nettempadu and Koilsagar.
Karnataka has agreed to release around 3 TMC of Krishna water in phases from the Narayanpur reservoir. Telangana had also requested a flow of around 5,000 cusecs per day for 30 days to support standing crops spread across approximately 5.5 lakh acres under the four irrigation projects.
Meanwhile, Telangana has already started releasing water from the Indira Priyadarshini Jurala Project to provide immediate irrigation support. The decision was taken amid concerns over crop losses and limited inflows into the reservoir.
The water situation has become a major concern for farmers as rainfall deficits have affected reservoir levels and agricultural activity. Recent reports have highlighted significant water stress in Telangana, with farmers depending heavily on available irrigation sources to protect crops during crucial stages of cultivation.
The phased release from Karnataka’s Upper Krishna system is therefore expected to provide additional inflows towards the Jurala project and support irrigation requirements in downstream Telangana areas.
However, the availability of water will also depend on the actual releases and river flows in the coming days.
The latest development once again highlights the importance of coordinated water management between the two states. Reservoir operations in the upper Krishna basin directly influence water availability for downstream irrigation systems.
Officials are expected to continue monitoring reservoir storage, inflows and downstream requirements before deciding on further releases. The availability of water will also remain dependent on rainfall patterns and the overall condition of reservoirs across the Krishna basin.
For Telangana, the immediate priority remains ensuring sufficient irrigation water for standing crops and reducing the impact of water shortages on farmers. The phased Krishna water release from Almatti and Narayanpur could provide timely support to irrigation systems in the state.