Tirupati: Kalyani dam receives copious inflows

Tirupati: The middle gate of the Kalayani dam was lifted to release 50 cusecs of water on a trial basis here on Saturday after the water level neared the FRL (full reservoir level).

Chandragiri MLA and Government Whip Chevireddy Bhaskar Reddy after performing puja and offering Jala Harathi lifted the gate to let out water which was taken up by the official on trial basis after the water level crossed 896 ft against the dam height of 900 ft.

Speaking on the occasion, Chevireddy, who is also the TUDA chairman, said the state particularly Chittoor district was witnessing heavy rains in the rule of Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy after such rains during the regime of late Y S Rajasekhara Reddy.

Efforts are on to impound as much rain water and channel them into tanks to enhance groundwater for the benefit of farmers and also improve water supply, he said. Kalyani dam, one of the major sources of drinking water supply to pilgrim city, is brimming with water thanks to the cyclonic rains lashing the district one after another since two weeks.

According to Corporation authorities, due to the heavy rains in the catchment areas on the upper reaches, the dam is receiving copious inflows resulting in the water level in the dam was three ft less to FRL level 900 ft while the quantum of water in the dam was now 780 TMC ft against its total capacity of 910 TMC ft on Saturday.

As a precautionary measure, the corporation and revenue authorities alerted the people in the villages in the down reaches of the dam as the dam gates will be opened at any time with the rains continuing in the area. Police alerted the families of people who went along with their cattle for grazing to return home for safety.

The increase of water in the dam will help the corporation to resume water supply in the areas covered under Kalyani dam in the city to reduce its power bill. The city is heavily depending on Telugu Ganga Project for water supply originating from Kailasagiri reservoir near Srikalahasthi 40 km from the city involving pumping of water at several stages resulting in the corporation paying Rs 12 crore for electricity.

This would come down if the Corporation resumed water supply from Kalyani dam as there is no need of pumping as the water can be carried to the city through gravity. The dam gates were washed away in 1991 following heavy discharge of waters after which the dam gates opened in 1994 and 2015 after it reached its FRL level.