Chennai, Oct 14:
Andhra Pradesh has agreed to release Krishna river water to Chennai over the next two months following talks between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu in Vijayawada on Tuesday.
The discussions focused on Chennai’s drinking water requirements and the need to ensure the release of water under the existing arrangement between the two States.
During the meeting, Vijay highlighted the city’s precarious water situation, stating that the five major reservoirs supplying Chennai had only around 35 per cent of their storage capacity available amid above-normal temperatures.
He pointed out that Tamil Nadu had received only 2.25 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of Krishna water so far this year and urged Naidu to intervene personally to facilitate additional supplies to the State.
Vijay also stressed the importance of the proposed Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project, stating that interlinking the two rivers could improve water availability in both States. In a statement, the Chief Minister urged Naidu to take up the project, highlighting its potential benefits for agriculture and drinking water supplies across southern India.
Vijay recalled that he had already appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to declare the Godavari-Cauvery river-linking project a national project.
The meeting with Naidu, a key constituent of the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, came two days after Modi’s visit to Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Ministers N Anand and Aadhav Arjuna, along with Andhra Pradesh IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Naidu’s son, participated in the events connected with Vijay’s visit.
Before the meeting, Vijay offered prayers at the Kanaka Durga Temple in Vijayawada.