Water released to Chennai city from Kandaleru reservoir

Nellore: Irrigation officials on Friday started supplying water to the Chennai city from Kandaleru reservoir as part of the agreement between the two states. They are releasing 1,500 cusecs of water from the reservoir through the Sathya Sai Ganga canal. Water will be allocated to drinking water purposes of Tirupati, Venkatagiri, Rapur and Gudur towns from the reservoir also.

In fact, excess water from the Somasila reservoir, which is filled to its brim, is being released to the Kandaleru reservoir and other important canals in the district for managing the water level in the water body. On Friday, Chief Engineer of Telugu Ganga Project Harinarayana Reddy performed a special puja at the Kandaleru reservoir and released water from the project.

Kandaleru reservoir in Rapur mandal is a part of the Telugu Ganga Project which supplies drinking water to the Chennai city being shared from the Srisailam reservoir. Kandaleru reservoir is having a link with Somasila reservoir through the canal which was earlier called as Kandaleru-Poondi canal.

The Telugu Ganga project provides irrigation water with a gross storage capacity of 68.621 tmc ft. Now, the storage level of reservoir is 38.6 tmc feet and the dead storage capacity is 8.4 tmc. Officials said the flow of water would be increased in the coming days with upper riparian areas receiving heavy rains.