Karimnagar: Rapidly falling water levels in the Lower Manair Dam (LMD), the main drinking water source for Karimnagar and nearby regions, have raised fears of a summer shortage, with authorities examining options to draw water from the Mid Manair Dam (MMD).
Officials said that against the reservoir’s total storage capacity of 24 tmc ft, LMD currently holds only about 6 tmc ft. Of this, nearly 2 tmc ft is dead storage, leaving only around 4 tmc ft available for use and supply to neighbouring districts. If levels fall further, authorities may have to draw water using booster pumps.
At the present rate of consumption, the available water is expected to last for about one month. Rising summer temperatures in May are also likely to accelerate depletion through evaporation.
The situation threatens drinking water supply to Karimnagar, Warangal, Sircilla, Vemulawada and Siddipet regions. Supply to 494 villages under the Mission Bhagiratha scheme is also likely to be affected. Officials are considering transfer of water from MMD to prevent the reservoir from running dry.
A Congress delegation led by city Congress president Vaidyula Anjan Kumar Yadav recently met BC welfare minister Ponnam Prabhakar at the Secretariat in Hyderabad and sought immediate release of 3 tmc ft from MMD to avert a drinking water crisis in Karimnagar city.
Sources said Ponnam Prabhakar discussed the matter with the principal secretary of irrigation and wrote to irrigation minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy seeking necessary action. He reportedly assured steps to ensure uninterrupted water supply.
Meanwhile, water levels at MMD are also under pressure. As of Thursday morning, the reservoir held 8.024 tmc ft against its full capacity of 27.55 tmc ft. With no fresh inflows from sources such as SRSP or the flood flow canal, and an outflow of 180 cusecs for supply needs and evaporation, officials are closely monitoring the situation. Only one gate of the dam has been partially opened to regulate the outflow.
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