The Hindu                 30.04.2013

Karimnagar in grip of water crisis

Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar and other towns such as Sircilla, Siddipet and Vemulawada, which solely depend on Lower Manair Dam (LMD) reservoir for supply of drinking water, are a worried lot as the water level at the reservoir is depleting fast.

Against the full storage capacity of 24 tmc of water, the reservoir presently has 3.9 tmc which includes 2.1 tmc of dead storage level. A month ago, the LMD reservoir had around 10 tmc of water. However, the Irrigation Department officials, without consulting the municipal authorities, released around 6 tmc of water for irrigation needs.

The Municipal Corporation of Karimnagar collects water from the reservoir to the filter bed and supply to the connections after treatment. If the water table is 891 feet (6.5 tmc) in the reservoir, the water would directly come to the filter bed. Now, the water table stands at 883 feet and the MCK authorities are forced to use boosters to lift the water to the filter bed.

If the present heat wave conditions continue, the water table would further deplete affecting the collection of water by other towns such as Sircilla, Vemulawada and Siddipet. Municipal authorities are already facing the heat as it has become difficult to supply drinking water due to inadequate intake into the filter bed.

Former municipal corporator Y. Sunil Rao alleged that excessive release of water to the irrigation needs and to Warangal town without considering the requirements of Karimnagar and other towns has led to the present crisis. “The unscientific and visionless policies of the irrigation authorities have rendered the Karimnagar municipality helpless, he alleged adding that drinking water supply to the town would be bleak in future due to further depletion of water table in the reservoir. He said that the supply of drinking water for another two to three months is very difficult with the prevailing situation.