Godavari Level Rises With Lifting of 22 Taliperu Project Gates

Nalgonda:Due to heavy rains in the upper catchment areas of neighbouring Chhattisgarh state, 22 gates of the Taliperu project at Cherla in Bhadradri-Kothagudem district have been lifted on Wednesday, releasing 30,000 cusecs of water into the Godavari River.

Taliperu medium irrigation project has been constructed across Taliperu River, a tributary of Godavari River. This project supplies around 5 TMC of water to 24,500 acres of ayacut in Cherla and Dummugudem mandals.

Project assistant engineer K. Sampath said flood waters from the Chinthavagu, Ritenthavagu, and Pagidivagu are also reaching the Taliperu project.

Following the release of water from Taliperu, the water level in Godavari River, which had been 15.80 feet at 8 a.m. on Wednesday at Bhadrachalam, rose to 16.1 feet by 2 p.m. on the day.

In a tele-conference with officials, district collector Ankit asked officials to be on full alert as India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rains during the next 36 hours. He said all officials and employees must be available at their respective working places while the alert lasts. He underlined the need to alert people residing in downstream areas and shifting those vulnerable to rehabilitation centres if required.

The collector appealed to people not to go near the Godavari River, canals, or streams. He underlined the need to supply safe drinking water to people, as drinking water supplied through taps is likely to be contaminated due to rains.

Ankit wanted officials to take alternative measures for supplying uninterrupted power supply to hospitals in case of breakdown in power supply. He said pregnant women, whose due date is nearer, should be immediately shifted to the hospitals.