Telangana faces shortage of 26 mn litres per day

Hyderabad: Drinking water crisis looms large in Telangana as the state is facing a shortage of 26 MLD (million litres per day) to meet the requirements of denizens.

According to officials, there are 67 municipalities which are problematic as far as drinking water supply is concerned due to depleting levels in the available water sources. Of this, there are 10 problematic urban local bodies, including Khammam and Karimnagar.

Sources said to tide over the drinking water crisis, the Irrigation department had sought the help of Karnataka. Reservoirs and other water bodies under Krishna and Godavari rivers have been identified to draw water for drinking purposes. Top officials said that the requirement of drinking water per day in the state is 1,398.5 MLD. Currently, the government is supplying 1,371 MLD and the gap of 26.31 MLD will be filled by lifting water from reservoirs and dams.

Above 135 LPCD (litres per person per day) is currently being supplied to 27 municipalities. About 48 towns receive between 100 and 135 LPCD of water every day. Official records indicate that 67 municipalities are getting below 100 LPCD. Officials said that water from Palair and Udyasamudram would be supplied to Khammam and Nalgonda districts. Alternative arrangements were being made to supply water from Mid Manair and Lower Manair to water starved Karimnagar municipality.

They are hopeful that Karnataka would accept their request to release water from Narayanpur dam to Jurala for drinking water needs in Gadwal and other habitations in old Mahbubnagar district. As of now water was being supplied to 130 municipalities out of 142 in the district.

Officials further said that Rs 100 crore was released to each district for drinking water needs and Rs 1 crore was being released to every assembly segment to address drinking water problem.

Officials said that all the 23,800 rural habitations are provided with drinking water through Mission Bhagiratha and water tankers are made available in the municipalities where drinking water problem was acute.