Mission Bhagiratha misses deadline yet again in Mahbubnagar

Mahbubnagar: The State government has set August 14 deadline to comple the works of Mission Bhagiratha intended to provide potable water to each and every household in the district. But the officials have failed to meet the target.

According to project officials of Mission Bhagiratha, though more than 95 per cent of laying of main pipelines connecting all major towns and villages was completed, the works relating to laying of internal pipeline is yet to be completed.

Earlier, the State government had directed the officials to complete the works by February. Later it extended the deadline to July. The second deadline too could not be met as major works like construction of tanks and laying of pipeline were not completed.

Even the August 14 deadline too could not be met. “We can say we have completed all the major works relating to construction of main grid works in Mahbubnagar. However, there are still a few small works left to be completed because of which we could not officially launch the scheme in the district.

But at present we are able to provide drinking water to more than 80 per cent villages across the district. The major hurdle we are facing is slow pace of construction of overhead tanks and laying of internal pipeline system in the villages and towns.

Once this is competed we may officially launch the mission Bhagiratha by Deepawali,” said Chenna Reddy, Mission Bhagiratha Superintending Engineer.

Water is drawn from Yelluru, Koilsagar, Jurala, Ramanpad, Shankarasaudram and Rangasamudra and Sunkesula reserviours for the scheme. Major water grid pipelines were laid to provide potable water to all major towns and village in the erstwhile Mahbubnagar district.

For instance, Water is drawn from Yellur reservoir at the rate 8.865 tmcft, from Srisailam backwaters in Nagarkurnool district 1.3 tmcft of water, from Koilsagar 1.47 tmcft water, from Jurala 1.2 tmcft, from Ramanpad 0.11 tmcft, 0.29, 0.12, 0.16 tmcft of water from Gopaldinne, Shankarasamudram, Rangasamudram and Sunkesula projects respectively in the district.

With this the government is aiming to provide drinking water to 2,660 villages across erstwhile Mahbubnagar district. In the villages the government had set the target to providing 100 litters of free drinking water to each household and in urban local bodies it has set a target of providing 135 litres of free water to each.

As against a total pipeline of 7,876 km pipeline, the officials could complete 7,790 km of pipeline. Out of a total of 119 major tanks, 106 tanks were constructed and works for remaining 13 are under fast progress. Out of total 70 major sumps, 60 were already competed and remaining 10 are under progress.

Out of 25 pump houses, 15 were completed and remaining 10 are under various stages of completion. However, now the major concern is completion of internal pipeline works in the villages. A network of 5,500 km of internal pipeline works are yet to be completed.