Peddapalli: The dream of K. Chandrasekhar Rao was fulfilled on Thursday with completion of first phase of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) as water from the Sundilla pump house reached the Yellampally reservoir early on Thursday.
From the past few days the inflow of water into the Godavari was increased due to heavy rains in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.
Officials started ‘reverse pumping’ water from Medigadda to Annaram and then to Sundilla situated in Golivada of Anthargam mandal of Peddapalli district through the Kannepalli pump house.
About 2 lakh cusecs of inflow of water was recorded at Medigadda barrage on Wednesday. Due to this, officials had lifted all 30 gates of the Medigadda project and released the water to Annaram.
Sundilla needed 5 tmc ft before water could be lifted to the Yellampally barrage. By Wednesday, Sundilla had received 6 tmc ft against its full capacity of 8.83 tmc ft. Officials then conducted a wet run by lifting one gate on Wednesday.
This water reached Yellampalli reservoir on Thursday morning. Half the 2-km distance between the projects has pipelines and water flows by gravity the rest of the way.
The water storage in 16.17 tmc ft Medigadda reservoir was recorded at 6.15 tmc ft.
The storage at Annaram was recorded at 5.13 tmc ft against its capacity of 10.87 tmc ft.
Engineering officials expressed happiness at the water reaching Yellampally crossing three barrages and three pump houses and completing the first phase of pumping at the KLIS successfully.
Due to heavy rains, the Yellampally barrage is recording inflows of 20,000 cusecs. The barrage as 8.5 tmc ft against its full capacity of 20.175 tmc ft.
Officials are now gearing up for the second phase by lifting the water from the Nandi Medram pump by drawing the water from Yellampally with gravity flow.
