Hyderabad: Officials hint at opening Osmansagar gates too

Hyderabad: The 'hare and tortoise race' between Himayath Sagar and Osman Sagar lakes in reaching full capacity has put the officials on extra alert this time as both the reservoirs are now brimming that too at the very beginning of rainy season and there is a great possibility of making another history this year with the lifting of crest gates of both the lakes in a row after several years. While the Himayath Sagar lake is considered as a 'Rabbit' in terms of receiving inflows, the Osman Sagar lake is dubbed as 'Tortoise'; when it comes to making strides in increasing the capacity.

While three crest gates of Himayath Sagar Lake have already been lifted on Tuesday to feed the Musi river after the reservoir reached a level of 1,763 feet as against the full capacity of 1763.50 feet, the situation at Osman Sagar is also alarming where merely 5.4 feet of gap has left to cram the lake while the rainy season is about to pick up the pace. With present water level hovering at 1784.60 feet (2.765 TMC) in the lake, the Osman Sagar lake too is standing close to touch the full tank level mark of 1,790 feet this time.

Indicating an upward trend in storage capacity starting from 1784.22 feet on July 15 with 833 cusecs of inflow, the water level at Osman Sagar has reached to 1,784.60 feet on July 20 sans any fresh inflow into the lake.

Though the Osman Sagar lake not fared well enough in terms of getting inflows like Himayath Sagar ever since the monsoon rains set into motion, but its storage capacity has already reached a level of 1,784.60 feet (2.765 TMC), a point just short of a few feet to replete.

Thanks to last year's bountiful rains that helped Osman Sagar lake to bolster its capacity that ratcheted up with fresh inflows this week due to post monsoon showers.

Officials at lake are optimistic that Osman Sagar will be next to lift the gates if the rains in upstream areas continue to hit the ground in the days to come as there are a lot more days to go before the present rainy season shakes off.

"It was in the year 1998 and then 2010 when the crest gates of Osman Sagar Lake were lifted to release the water after the lake received heavy inflows due to incessant rains. Now after almost

11 years of gap the time has come close to see this reservoir crammed again that may compel authorities to lift the gates if the capacity reaches to its crescendo.

Presently, the lake needs about 1.2 TMC (5.4 feet) of water to reach full capacity. We are also praying to see the lake get filled with its full capacity just like Himayath Sagar Slake," informed a senior official overseeing the Osman Sagar lake.