KURNOOL: When Sangameswara Temple, the confluence of the seven mythical rivers in the foreshore water of Srisailam Project gets submerged, it bodes well for the Rayalaseema region. This is the belief of the people of the region. On Monday, the temple finally got submerged and the priest offered harathi standing on the roof of the temple. Several devotees thronged the banks of the reservoir to offer their prayers. It will be a while when the temple reopens.
For now, people of Rayalaseema rejoiced as the submergence of Sangameswara Temple means increased water levels at Srisailam project and water for them. On Monday, the water levels swelled further and reached 854.9 feet (FRL - 885 feet), that is 91.62 TMC. As per the laid down guidelines and the high court directions, water can be released down to the Rayalaseema region through the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator when the water levels in the project cross the 854 feet mark. On Monday, with copious inflows from Jurala and Sunkesula, the water levels has crossed that mark.
However, officials are yet to release the water, as they are awaiting the decision of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu. He will be in Kurnool on Tuesday to participate in Nobel Laureate Kailash Satyarthi’s Bharat Yatra programme.On the other hand, no decision has been taken yet on power generation from the hydel power project.