SIDDIPET: Following instructions from higher authorities, Irrigation Department officials in Siddipet district have readied the pumping motors at the Ranganayakasagar and Mallannasagar projects.
Officials are currently diverting floodwater from the Yellampalli project to Mid Manair as heavy inflows continue into Yellampalli. Storage in Mid Manair has reached about 8 tmcft, and irrigation officials have indicated that once it touches 13 tmcft, water is likely to be diverted to reservoirs in Siddipet and Rajanna Sircilla districts.
Officials said that once water reaches Annapurna Reservoir, located on the Siddipet-Rajanna Sircilla border, it will be pumped to Ranganayakasagar, then to Mallannasagar and finally to Kondapochamma Reservoir. Dry runs of the pumping motors at all three projects have already been completed. Godavari water from Mid Manair is expected to reach Annapurna Reservoir within three to four days.
Farmers had recently staged a protest demanding the release of Godavari water into Ranganayakasagar.
Ranganayakasagar, built in Chinnakodur mandal with a storage capacity of 3 tmcft, currently holds 0.67 tmcft. Mallannasagar, located in Toguta mandal of Dubbak constituency, has a capacity of 50 tmcft. About 25 tmcft was pumped into the reservoir last year, while the present storage stands at around 8.5 tmcft.
The Singur project, which supplies drinking water to Hyderabad, has comparatively low storage this year. Officials said the available water was expected to last only until November. They added that if there is good rainfall and at least 8 tmcft flows into Singur, there will be no disruption to drinking water supply. As a precaution, the government is also considering maintaining adequate storage in Mallannasagar.
Kondapochamma Reservoir in Gajwel constituency has a capacity of 15 tmcft but currently holds only 4 to 4.5 tmcft. At the same time last year, storage stood at around 10 tmcft.
Officials and public representatives had expressed concern over poor rainfall attributed to the El Nino effect. However, the recent increase in Godavari inflows has brought some relief. Officials said that if water reaches the reservoirs in Siddipet district, there should be no shortage of irrigation water for the Rabi season.
