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For first time this season, Sriramsagar full to brim

Of the 42 gates on the project, officials opened 16 and released around 75,000 cusecs of water.

Nizamabad: The gates of the Sriramsagar project (SRSP) were lifted on Monday for the first time in three years, and water released into the river Godavari. Of the 42 gates on the project, officials opened 16 and released around 75,000 cusecs of water.

The SRSP reached its full reservoir level of 1,091 feet and gross storage of 90 tmc ft on Monday after it received heavy inflows from Maharashtra and catchment areas of the composite Nizamabad and Adilabad districts.

The project also generated 22.8 MW power as the water released into the Kakatiya canal. Visitors thronged the project to see the water gushing out of the flood gates. SRSP officials restricted entry of visitors at the spillway as a security measure.

The officials first released water at the rate of 25,000 cusecs and gradually increased the outflow to 75,000 cusecs. In view of flood water release, SRSP officials alerted the administration of Nizamabad, Nirmal and Jagtial districts. Villagers, fishermen and cattle grazers were advised not to venture into the river due to the swift flow of flood water. Officials released 5,000 cusecs of water into the Kakatiya canal.

Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, SRSP executive engineer P. Rama Rao said that the Vishnupuri and Balegaon project gates in Maharashtra were shut on Monday evening and the inflow into SRSP may decrease. “We will reduce the outflow on Monday night,” he said.

The project did not receive inflows during July and August but received floodwater in September. Heavy rain in Maharashtra filled up the local projects and water was released downstream.

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