KOTHAGUDEM: Thanks to incessant rains in the catchment areas of most irrigation projects in Kothagudem district, the water level in the Godavari at Bhadrachalam in the district reached 30 feet on Wednesday evening. According to sources in Irrigation Department, the Pedavagu project in Aswaraopet mandal, Lothuvagu and Isukavagu projects in Aswapuram mandal have already started overflowing. As a result, road transport has been affected in as many as 18 villages in Aswaraopeta mandal and about 16 villages in Aswapuram mandal.
Meanwhile, Nityannadanam Satram and the east entrance area of Sri Sita Ramachandra Swamy Temple have been inundated due to torrential rainfall at Bhadrachalam. Meanwhile, the officials concerned, since Tuesday night, started discharging 17, 000 cusecs of water from Kinnerasani reservoir at Paloncha by lifting four gates. The current water level in the reservoir was recorded at 405 feet.
Similarly, seven gates of the Taliperu project at Cherla have also been lifted to release about 17,626 cusecs of water to the downstream. At the same time, coal production in SCCL’s open cast mines at Kothagudem, Yellandu, Manugur and Sathupalli areas have also been affected due to the heavy rains.