The Hindu 25.02.2010
City heading for water crisis
J.S. Ifthekhar
| HMWSSB seeks nod for phase III of Krishna water project |
Water Board will be able to draw water from Singur by gravity up to April only
Thereafter it has to go for emergency pumping from the dead storage
Hyderabad: The spectre of severe water crisis looms large over the twin cities. What has aggravated the problem is the release of 3 tmcft water from the Singur project to save the standing crops under Nizamsagar project.
Though HMWSSB authorities exude confidence, the water supply position in GHMC area is stated to be ‘precarious’. Already there are complaints of poor supplies from several parts. The Board has sought urgent administrative approval for taking up phase III of the Krishna Drinking Water Supply Project. In fact, the Board’s outgoing Managing Director M.T. Krishna Babu, even wrote to the government for immediate sanction of the phase III to draw 90 mgd water. This is seen as the only solution to save the city from the impending crisis.
The Water Board will be able to draw water from Singur by gravity up to April only. And thereafter it has to go for emergency pumping from the dead storage. Even this balance water will be sufficient only till September and if there are no fresh inflows the Singur operation has to be shut down, it is said.
The Board now draws 120 mgd from Manjeera. Of this 75 mgd is from phase III and IV of Singur. Apart from this 180 mgd is drawn from Krishna Phase I and II, 20 mgd from Osmansagar and 12 mgd from Himayatsagar. “We will be able to maintain the present supply of 340 mgd and there will be no problem this summer,” said S. Prabhakar Sharma, director, Technical, HMWSSB. However, fearing the worst, the Board has floated tenders for acquiring seven huge pumps. However, pumping in mid-summer is not considered desirable in view of likely power cuts.
Under the present circumstances, Board officials say, Krishna Phase III is the best bet. Apart from reliable water source, the project can be executed in just one year as there is no need to go for land acquisition. Only pipes have to be laid for a distance of 110 km from Kodandapur to Hyderabad.
