The Hindu 23.04.2013
Water position precarious in Kurnool
Water sources are drying up one after the other.
Water supply position has become precarious in Kurnool
district with the sources going dry one after the other. The low
rainfall in the last monsoon and harsh summer have added to the woes
with steep depletion of water levels in the tanks and drinking water
sources.
Kurnool city is likely to face water
shortage at the fag end of the season if summer showers are not reported
in May. The Municipal authorities have stocked 100 tmcft in the summer
storage tank which would support the supply for 25 days.
The
officials are planning to draw another 150 tmcft from the Sunkesula
reservoir to supplement the supply from the summer tank. The reservoir
had storage of 370 tmcft, including the dead storage. Municipal Engineer
Rajasekhar said with the present availability, the supply could be
ensured for 55 days to the city.
Since showers are a
regular feature in May, water supply situation is expected to improve
before the present storage is exhausted.
Meanwhile,
the irrigation authorities secured release of 800 cusecs of water from
the State quota of the TB dam, on April 19. The release would continue
till April 28.
However, the Municipal authorities do
not attach much significance to the TB dam releases as very little
quantity of water reaches the Sunkesula barrage due to diversion by
farmers along the course of the river.
The situation is not so comfortable in other parts of the district as well.
Gajuladinne
reservoir, which is located in the heart of the drought-prone
Pathikonda area, has been depleted completely this year for repairs.
But alternative arrangements have been made for supply of water.
Securing the water release through LLC has become difficult what with the farmers in the upper reaches resorting to pilferage.
Meanwhile,
the demand for construction of a reservoir with a capacity of 10 tmcft
near Gundrevula is growing with the flow to the KC canal declining year
after year. The areas dependent on Srisailam canals are reasonably
comfortable.
