NOB- Nagarjuna sagar news: Nagarjuna Sagar, which has provided drinking water to thousands of villages in Telugu states, danger bells are ringing as water reserves are falling to dangerous levels of dead storage in Nagarjunasagar. The twin cities of Hyderabad, the joint Nalgonda and Khammam districts, which depend on the waters of the Sagar Krishna, have drinking water. Nagarjunasagar, which is the boon of Telugu states, has dried up due to severe lack of rain. Expected level of rains or Sagar is filling up. As a result, the government announced crop holiday in Kharif and Rabi season under Nagarjunasagar Ayakattu. On the other hand, with the onset of summer season, the fresh water crisis is intensifying in the twin cities of Hyderabad, Khammam and the joint Nalgonda districts, which depend on the waters of the Sagar Krishna.
Water level reaching dead storage: Nagarjunasagar Reservoir, which has a maximum water level of 590 feet, currently holds 133.7 TMCs of water with a water level of 511 feet. The dead storage of Sagar has been determined to be 510 feet and 131 TMC. But the Sagar Dam is just three feet away from the dead storage. With this, alarm bells are ringing in Nagarjunasagar. At the same time last year, there was 164 TMC of water at 528.30 feet. Compared to last year, the availability of water in Nagarjunasagar reservoir is less by 31 TMC. The water level in Nagarjunasagar reservoir is approaching dead storage like never before.
Glass for drinking water: Drinking water is being supplied to Nalgonda and Khammam districts of the twin cities of Hyderabad from Nagarjunasagar Reservoir. Nagarjuna Sagar is supplying drinking water through the left canal through Paleru Reservoir of Khammam district. 900 cusecs of water is being pumped from back water of Sagar Reservoir to Akkampally Reservoir with two motors through Eliminati Madhavareddy Lift Scheme at Puttangandi. From here, 550 cusecs of drinking water has to be supplied to the twin cities and 25 cusecs of drinking water per day to 597 villages of the joint Nalgonda district. At present there is a threat to drinking water as the availability of water in Nagarjunasagar reservoir is low. Sagar water level is approaching dead storage. There is only two TMC of water above the dead storage. At present, however, there is sufficient water for drinking in the reservoirs of the joint Nalgonda district till the month of April 2024. In the three months of May, June and July, there is a situation where there is a shortage of drinking water.
Pumping at Puttangandi from zero level: Supply of fresh water to the twin cities of Hyderabad is currently being done through the Puttangandi Lift Scheme. If the water level drops to the dead story of 510 feet, pumping becomes difficult. When the water level reaches below 510 feet, the authorities are making preparations for pumping with heavy motors from the zero point at the backwater with dredging process. On the other hand, the third phase pipe work is also going on at Sunkishala with a cost of 1450 crore rupees. Emergency work is being done to prevent fresh water shortage. On the other hand, five TMC water is being released through the right canal for the drinking water needs of AP. With this there is a risk of reaching dead storage in two days. There is no possibility of taking water from Srisailam and Jurala project for future needs. Those two projects have already dried up. Officials are scratching their heads on how to meet drinking water needs for another three months.
Srisailam reservoir near dead level: And the Srisailam Reservoir, which supplies drinking water to the people of Nandyala district and two Telugu states, is now running out of water reserves. Officials said that out of the 215 TMC needed by the states of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, only 34 TMC of water is left. And in this dry season, the people of two Telugu states will have to face severe problems for drinking water.
Srisailam has a full scale capacity of 215 TMCs: Srisailam reservoir had 31.9380 TMC of water at 805.80 feet on April 8 last year. But currently the water level is 810.70 feet. The full water level of Srisailam reservoir is 885 feet. Currently it is 809.90 feet. The full water storage capacity is 215 TMCs and currently it is recorded as 34.2438 TMCs. But the Srisailam reservoir is currently running out of water.
