Copious inflows into the massive Srisailam dam on the Krishna river has filled up the reservoir, forcing the Irrigation Department to lift two crest gates (6 and 7) to release water downstream.

Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have been squabbling and have complained to the Krishna River Management Board over sharing of water from the dam. Telangana has been pleading in vain for water release into the Nagarjunasagar from the dam.

Following huge inflows in to the dam, it hit the full reservoir level of 885 feet (884.8 feet).

Andhra Pradesh Water Resources Minister Devineni Uma Maheshwara Rao on Thursday performed puja at the dam site and supervised the lifting of the two crest gates to release water into the Nagarjunasagar, whose level has been at 529 feet as against full reservoir level of 590 feet.

Fresh inflows from dams in Karnataka, Tungabhadra, and Handri and Jurala in Telangana have boosted dam storage, forcing irrigation authorities to release water. The Water Board has also directed the dam officials to restrict the level to 883 feet.

With inflows of over 1,50,000 cusecs, the dam authorities have been releasing water through crest gates and also from the hydel power generation. Both the Left and Right bank power houses are generating 1,650 MW. This is expected to boost water level in Nagarjunasagar, which did not have major water inflows this monsoon.

Uma later expressed the hope that the Nagarjunasagar would also get filled up, bringing cheer to both States.

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