Visakhapatnam: In spite of abundant water in major reservoirs, there is severe shortage of drinking water in the city during this summer. As Godavari river water reaches Yeleru reservoir from Purushottapatnam lift scheme, as much as 115 million gallons of water per day (MGD) is being pumped now when compared to 40 MGD earlier, the CPM said.
The water, which is at dead storage-level in Yeleru reservoir, is being utilised during summer. With the lifting scheme, the current capacity of the reservoir is more than 20 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) feet. Earlier, it was around 3 TMC during this month. The Leftist leaders were sure that water will be available in the reservoir during May and June also.
A canal of 2.28-km length was constructed to feed from the existing Yeleru left main canal into newly constructed Kanithi Balancing Reservoir (KBR)-2. Currently, Visakha Industrial Water Supply Company (VIWCO) is supplying around 60 MGD water to the existing KBR-1 which is filled up completely. W VSP is getting more than 50 per cent of the water from Yeleru, the rest is supplied to the households. The water level has reduced at Raiwada reservoir.
However, there was no decrease in the levels of Meghadrigedda and Thatipudi reservoirs.
The CPI (M) leaders alleged that the civic body has failed to supply water to the city though the reservoirs are having sufficient water to serve the households. They claimed that the water is being diverted to companies causing drinking water crisis in the city. Owing to heavy usage of ground water by the hospitals at Med City, there is no water for Arilova Colony residents.
CPI (M) state secretariat member Ch. Narsinga Rao says, “How can Vizag be a smart city when there is no drinking water to the households here? Who ever forms the next government in the state should focus on the water crisis. The left canal of Polavaram project must be completed soon.”
He adds, “Sufficient water can be supplied to households, farmers and industries in North Andhra region only when Polavaram and Sujala Sravanthi projects are completed. The next government should discuss with Odisha government over the issue of Janjavathi, to bring 4 TMC water instead of 1 TMC at present.”
