Water Crisis? Emergency measures underway for Hyd

Papally (Nalgonda): The Nagarjunasagar project that supplies water to Hyderabad is depleting day by day.The looming water crisis due to these dwindling levels has prompted urgent action from authorities.

Notably, the water level has plummeted to 510 feet, pushing the Water Board to initiate emergency measures aimed at sustaining water supply to the twin cities. Officials, undertaking the installation of motors at a cost of Rs 3 crore, are working towards completing the task within a week, followed by a trial run. These motors, comprising five of 120 cusecs capacity and five of 60 cusecs capacity, aim to transport 900 cusecs of water. Notably, these motors can operate until the water level in Sagar dips to 498 feet, signaling a critical threshold.

Compared to previous years, the water levels have hit rock bottom a month earlier, intensifying concerns. To bridge the gap, water is currently being diverted from the Kodandapuram plant in Pedadadisarlapalli mandal of Nalgonda district, pumping 500 cusecs of water daily.

The intricate process of water transportation involves moving Krishna waters from the backwaters of Nagarjunasagar to the Puttangandi cistern using four motors through the approach canal. The water navigates through canals to the Akkampally Balancing Reservoir (AKBR) before reaching the Kodandapuram Water Treatment Plant for purification and distribution to Hyderabad.

Officials report that half of the emergency motor installation work in Nagarjunasagar's backwaters is already complete. Also, in order to prevent the water from going back when the motors are working, sandbags were used in the past as they were washed away in the current.Now gabions (packs of stones) have been prepared.