VISAKHAPATNAM: With water levels in Visakhapatnam’s major rain-fed reservoirs declining, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to take emergency and long-term measures to ensure uninterrupted drinking and industrial water supply to the city amid concerns over a possible ‘Super El Niño’ phenomenon.
The Yeleru reservoir, with a capacity of 10.2 TMC cited by the government, currently has 10.2 TMC, including 6.1 TMC of dead storage. Raivada, with a capacity of 3.6 TMC, has 0.9 TMC, while Meghadrigedda, with a capacity of 1.17 TMC, has only 0.2 TMC. Tatipudi, which can hold 3.3 TMC, currently has around 1.2 TMC.
Addressing a press conference in Visakhapatnam on Saturday, Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu stated that around 300 cusecs of water was being supplied daily from Yeleru to the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir through the Purushothapatnam Lift Irrigation Scheme. Officials have been asked to ensure this supply continues until June 2027 and examine increasing it to 350 cusecs.
Naidu also directed officials to keep motors and pumps ready to utilise Yeleru’s dead storage during emergencies. For Raivada, he ordered a review of proposals to lift water from the Polavaram Left Main Canal, including from the 162-km point, and submit a report within a week.
Work is underway to connect Meghadrigedda with the Polavaram Left Main Canal through a 10.5-km pipeline to supply 100 cusecs. About nine km has been completed, with the remaining work, including motor and pump installation, to be expedited.
The Chief Minister also directed officials to balance the use of Tatipudi water for Visakhapatnam with irrigation requirements in Vizianagaram and asked the district administration to promote low-water-consuming crops.
Officials were further directed to complete the Polavaram Left Main Canal works within the stipulated schedule.