Hyderabad:The state government has sanctioned special funds to ensure uninterrupted drinking water supply across Telangana in view of the anticipated impact of El Nino, including Rs 120 crore for alternative drinking water arrangements in Sangareddy, Medak, Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts, which are dependent on the Singur reservoir where the water level has dropped below dead storage levels. Other districts were given Rs 1 crore each for meeting immediate requirements in other districts.

Rural water supply minister Dhanasari ‘Seethakka’ Anasuya said the funds would be used to make alternative arrangements in areas likely to face drinking water shortages. She directed officials to expedite the arrangements and ensure that people do not face any disruption in water supply.

The minister held a teleconference with Mission Bhagiratha and public health engineers on Saturday to review the drinking water supply situation and preparedness to tackle possible shortages due to El Nino. She asked officials to identify vulnerable villages and areas where groundwater levels had depleted and make arrangements based on local requirements. Mission Bhagiratha engineer-in-chief Krupakar Reddy, chief engineers, superintending engineers and executive engineers from Mission Bhagiratha and the public health department participated in the teleconference.

She instructed officials to tap available local water sources and, wherever necessary, hire borewells and arrange transportation facilities to supply water through tankers. Hand pumps, single-phase and three-phase water supply schemes, wells and other local sources should be kept operational and readily available to meet emergency requirements, she said.

The minister stressed the need to identify villages where Mission Bhagiratha supply could be disrupted and prepare alternative supply plans in advance rather than waiting for shortages to arise. She also called for taking awareness programmes on water conservation and the possible impact of El Nino to the village level.

Seethakka directed officials to continuously monitor water storage levels in reservoirs and follow the government guidelines to manage drinking water resources. She also asked them to take steps to recharge groundwater by ensuring that rainwater received recently in Hyderabad, Medchal, Khammam, Yadadri and other areas percolated into the ground.

Existing recharge pits and magic pits constructed near drinking water sources should be made functional to facilitate rainwater harvesting. The minister directed officials to complete all ongoing works relating to such structures within two days.

Singur reservoir supplies drinking water to Hyderabad and parts of the undivided Medak and Nizamabad districts, including Sangareddy, Kamareddy, Banswada, Jukkal, Yellareddy, Bodhan, Medak and Nizamabad. It covers CURE area of Serilingampally, Patancheru.


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