Hyderabad: Excise and Tourism Minister Jupally Krishna Rao on Monday blamed the previous BRS government for the Jurala water shortage. He said inadequate storage capacity had affected water availability for the Jurala project ayacut.
Speaking at a press conference, Jupally questioned why the previous government had not built an additional reservoir near Jurala. He said authorities now had to manage limited water carefully while meeting irrigation and drinking water needs.
The minister referred to the Jurala region in Jogulamba Gadwal district. He said inadequate storage had reduced the government’s ability to provide sufficient water to the project ayacut.
Jupally also recalled a promise by former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao to build a 20-TMC Gattu reservoir. According to Jupally, the proposal also involved bringing water from Singotam to the Jurala and Bhima ayacuts.
He questioned why the previous government had not implemented those proposals. “If the previous government truly cared about the Palamuru region, why were these reservoirs not built?” Jupally asked.
The minister linked the present shortage to the region’s limited storage capacity and drought conditions. He said the lack of additional storage had made water management more difficult during periods of low inflows.
Jurala storage capacity under scrutiny
Jupally said the government had to balance irrigation requirements with drinking water needs. He warned that opening project gates without sufficient inflows could create serious drinking water shortages.
The minister said authorities had to consider incoming water before releasing supplies to the ayacut. He defended the decision to avoid releases when available inflows could not support continued supply.
Jupally also compared Krishna river water allocations under the two administrations. He claimed Telangana received no more than 30% of its allocated share during the BRS government’s tenure.
By contrast, he claimed the current Congress government had secured 43% of the State’s share. Jupally said the government would not compromise on Telangana’s claimed share of Krishna river water.
The figures formed part of his criticism of the previous administration. The minister also connected the water shortage with storage limitations around Jurala and the availability of inflows from upstream reservoirs.
Jupally said both storage capacity and river inflows affected the quantity of water available to the Jurala ayacut. He specifically referred to the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs as potential sources of additional inflows.
The minister said the government expected more water from upstream reservoirs. He maintained that authorities would continue monitoring inflows before taking decisions on releases.
He also defended the administration’s broader approach to water management. Jupally said the government had to protect drinking water supplies while responding to irrigation requirements.
The minister’s comments came amid concerns over water availability in the Jurala ayacut. A recent report also said the government was defending its decision to regulate releases based on available inflows and drinking water requirements.
Gudendoddi reservoir planned to improve water storage
Jupally said the government had sanctioned funds for the 15-TMC Gudendoddi Balancing Reservoir. He presented the project as a measure to strengthen storage capacity in the region and address water availability concerns.
The minister said the proposed reservoir would add to the region’s storage infrastructure. He also pointed to expected inflows from the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs as another factor in managing water availability.
Jupally said the government would continue to monitor available water before releasing supplies. He maintained that premature releases could leave insufficient water for drinking purposes if fresh inflows failed to arrive.
The minister also said the administration would manage irrigation and drinking water requirements together. He argued that the current shortage reflected the limited storage infrastructure created during the previous government’s tenure.
At the same time, Jupally said the government expected improved water availability if additional inflows reached the region. He again referred to the Almatti and Narayanpur reservoirs while explaining the administration’s approach.
The minister reiterated that Telangana would pursue its claimed share of Krishna river water. He said the government would not compromise on the State’s position over its water allocation.
Jupally’s remarks placed storage capacity, reservoir construction and upstream inflows at the centre of the debate over the Jurala water shortage. He also defended the government’s decision to regulate releases according to available water and competing requirements.
The minister’s criticism of the BRS focused on the absence of additional storage near Jurala and the earlier proposal for a 20-TMC Gattu reservoir. He argued that stronger storage infrastructure could have provided greater flexibility during periods of low inflows.
His comments also highlighted the proposed 15-TMC Gudendoddi Balancing Reservoir as part of the government’s response. The project, he said, would strengthen storage capacity in the region while authorities continued to monitor inflows and water requirements.
