Amaravati: Andhra Pradesh has agreed to release 3.33 tmc ft of water from the Krishna river to Tamil Nadu to meet the drinking water requirement of the Chennai city.

AP Water Resources Department Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar issued an order last night permitting the NTR Telugu Ganga Project chief engineer to release 3.33 tmc ft from Kandaleru reservoir to Poondi reservoir for supply to the Chennai city.

The Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department chief engineer had written a letter last month to the AP government stating the present storage in the four reservoirs supplying water to Chennai was only 46 per cent because of less than average rainfall in the catchment areas during the north-east monsoon.

Hence, to meet the drinking water needs of the Chennai city immediately, the chief engineer requested that water from Kandaleru reservoir be released.

As per the Krishna River Management Board, Andhra Pradesh's share comes to 3.33 tmc ft of the total 5 tmc ft Krishna water to be supplied to the Tamil Nadu capital.

Accordingly, the state WRD Secretary issued orders for release of water immediately to meet the drinking water needs of the Chennai city.