Krishna Water from Andhra Pradesh Reaches Poondi Reservoir Amid Chennais Water Crisis!
Krishna water from Andhra Pradesh`s Kandaleru Dam arrived at Tamil Nadu`s Poondi reservoir on Monday night. The Poondi reservoir, a crucial drinking water source for Chennai, has faced declining levels due to the summer heat. In response, Tamil Nadu`s Water Resources Department requested water release from the Kandaleru Dam.
On September 19, water was initially released at a rate of 500 cubic feet per second (cusecs), which was later increased to 1300 cusecs. After traveling 152 kilometers, the water reached the Thamarai Kuppam Zero Point near Uthukottai on Monday morning, celebrated by officials who showered flower petals. By 7 PM, the water had traveled an additional 25 kilometers to the Poondi reservoir, with an inflow of 50 cusecs.
As of this morning, the inflow has increased to 100 cusecs. The Poondi reservoir`s full level is 35 feet, currently holding 65 million cubic feet (mcft) of water, which is only 2.01% of its total capacity of 3.231 TMC. According to a 1983 inter-state agreement, Andhra Pradesh is obligated to supply Tamil Nadu with 12 TMC of Krishna river water annually.
Although a request for water was previously denied due to low levels in the Kandaleru Dam, recent heavy rains have allowed for the release of water to Poondi Lake, marking a critical step in addressing the water shortage in Chennai.
