Hyderabad: The state government has admitted to the diversion of Godavari water meant for drinking water for Hyderabad to Gajwel and Siddipet, the constituencies of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and irrigation minister T. Harish Rao. Municipal administration minister K.T. Rama Rao told the Assembly on Saturday that gajwel and Siddipet were being given water as per the practice of providing bulk water supply to the rural water supply department to meet the drinking water needs of people in areas where the pipeline passes.
He said the diversion had not resulted in a shortage in the city, as alleged by Opposition parties. He was replying to a question by BJP Khaira-tabad legislator Chintala Ramachandra Reddy who asked how the diversion of water from the city’s Godavari water project could be termed Mission Bhagiratha project. The government had got Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate it in Gajwel in August last, he said.
Mr Rama Rao replied, “Only those residing in Hyderabad are not people. Those residing in towns and villages are also people and they too have drinking water needs. The government has equal responsibility to the people in all areas.” He said this was not the first time: Water from Manjeera, Singur and Krishna water projects were supplied in the past to areas enroute. At the request of the RWS department, water was being provided from the Godavari scheme to enroute municipalities of Gajwel and Siddipet. These would be treated as bulk customers of the Water Board, and would pay cess as per norms.
Mr Rama Rao said that when the pipeline passes through villages and towns, the locals ask for water. “How can the government deny them water,” he said. “The city requires 352 million gallons per day, but we are supplying 372 MGD. We are trying to provide water every day from the year-end," he said.
Krishna water supply scheme
270 MGD: Installed capacity
252 MGD: Water being currently drawn
28 MGD: Balance, to be drawn by end of March
Godavari water supply
172 MGD: Installed capacity
114 MGD: Water being currently drawn
58 MGD: To be drawn when work on new reservoirs will be completed by April 15.
