Hyderabad: Facing severe water shortage in the wake of worst drought in three decades, Andhra Pradesh (AP) Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on December 5 urged his Karnataka counterpart S M Krishna to release 30 TMC of water from Almatti reservoir to meet drinking water needs of the state.

In a letter addressed to Krishna, he said AP was facing acute drinking water shortage due to continued dry spell and the release of water from Almatti could help tide over the crisis.

State Major Irrigation Minister K Srihari said if the neighbouring state agreed to release water, the drinking water requirement of the state could be met till July 2003.

Stating that water from Karnataka would be used exclusively for drinking purpose, he said that 30 TMC of Krishna water, being sought by the state government, would be stored in various reservoirs and would be supplied to drought-affected districts.

While Kurnool, Anantapur and Mahaboobnagar districts would be supplied water from Tungabhadra reservoir, water from K C Canal would feed peripheral towns, the minister said.

Meanwhile, all possible precautionary measures were being taken to save the standing 'kharif' crops across the state, Srihari said.

PTI