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Mission Bhagiratha panacea for looming water crisis
Even as several habitations in erstwhile Karimnagar district stares at water crisis, Mission Bhagiratha seems to be the only panacea that could quench the thirst of people. Amid plummeting water table in almost all the mandals, there is a growing concern over how to get past this summer, especially against the backdrop of revised deadlines set for the completion of Mission Bhagiratha.
Karimnagar: Even as several habitations in erstwhile Karimnagar district stares at water crisis, Mission Bhagiratha seems to be the only panacea that could quench the thirst of people. Amid plummeting water table in almost all the mandals, there is a growing concern over how to get past this summer, especially against the backdrop of revised deadlines set for the completion of Mission Bhagiratha.
Compared to last year, the average groundwater level in the erstwhile district dipped to 16 meters below ground level (MBGL) from 9.50 MBGL. And with summer yet to peak, this is considered as an alarming situation. It’s also learnt that there are 92 villages considered as in danger zone. Adding more woes to the problem was overexploitation of groundwater resources since the implementation of 24-hour power supply from January.
The situation is precarious in Peddapalli district with Odela, Mutharam and Kalva Srirampur mandals already reeling under intense water scarcity. The average groundwater level in the district is at 15.50 MBGL. In Rajanna-Sircilla district, the situation is no better. Average ground water level is at 16.15 MBGL in almost all the mandals.
Compared to other three districts carved out from erstwhile Karimnagar, Jagtial is well placed with its average groundwater table about 10 MBGL. On the other hand, the average ground water level is at 13.15 MBGL in Karimnagar district. However, the drinking water availability is not encouraging in Karimnagar’s two big towns – Huzurabad and Jammikunta.
On the other hand, the average groundwater level in Karimnagar Municipal Corporation area is also alarming and residents already started to procure water through tankers. The Lower Manair Dam (LMD), the main water source of city, is in the danger of dropping to dead storage level.
With Mission Bhagiratha is in sight, there was not much summer contingency plan chalked out to tackle the drinking water problem in the erstwhile district.
Speaking to The Hans India, Superintending Engineer of Mission Bhagiratha, RWS Ch Amarendra said: “We have hired private water sources such as agricultural wells and borewells to tackle water problem in the region.
We have started bulk water supply to 52 villages under Karimnagar-Ramadugu segment of Mission Bhagiratha.” Efforts are on to supply bulk water in villages fall under Huzurabad-Husnabad-Manakondur and Karimnagar-Ramadugu segments by the end of April, he said.
Vemula Sudarshan, retired employee of Vidya Nagar in Huzurabad, said: “We have been facing water problem for the last 20 years. We have to depend on water tankers from December itself. It costs me Rs 5,000 per tanker.”
Pouring out his problem, V Mahesh of Pegadapally under Kalva Srirampur mandal said that they are struggling to get water even for daily chores.
Valluri Harish, teacher, resident of Employees Colony in Jammikunta, said: “We are waiting for the completion of Mission
Bhagiratha so that we would get sufficient water.”
