VIJAYAWADA: With the people of the district headquarter town of Machilipatnam feeling the effects of an early summer from the month of February itself, BC Welfare Minister Kollu Ravindra, who is also the local MLA, reassured them that the drinking water problem in the city will be solved.
Minister, who inspected the Tarakaturu Summer Storage tank in Machilipatnam where water was released from the canals of the Prakasam Barrage on Sunday, said that on the directions of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao had ensured that 4 TMC of water from Srisailam is released for Krishna delta for the drinking water needs of the people.
“There is severe water shortage in the major dams. The water level in Prakasam barrage is below 8 feet. The water levels at Pulichintala are none too encouraging and there is not enough water at Nagarjuna Sagar for releasing downstream. Under such circumstances, the CM had taken initiative and ensured that 4 TMCFT of water each is released,” he said.
The water released from Srisailam will be used for filling all the tanks to ensure there is enough drinking water during the summer months. To hasten the filling of water in the summer storage tanks 1,200 HP capacity motors and large sized pumps are being used. “We will ensure the summer storage tank is filled completely so there is sufficient water for another 2 to 3 months,” he said.
To ensure that tanks get filled, the water is being pumped out of the canals 24 hours a day without break. He thanked Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao for coming to the aid of Machilipatnam people by ensuring release of water.