By: R. Avadhani, K.M. Dayashankar
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has suggested that head sumps for the proposed Water Grid should be constructed at the highest contour levels to ensure flow of water by gravity to the overhead tanks.
Mr. Rao on Wednesday first undertook an aerial survey of Lower Manair Dam (LMD) reservoir in Karimnagar and inspected the intake-well, pipelines, pump-house and project design of lifting water. Later, he reached Siddipet to address engineers about the grid.
Addressing the engineers, Mr. Rao urged them to replicate the model of Siddipet water scheme across Telangana to make the proposed water grid a grand success. “We have to construct overhead sumps at highest contour levels so that water can flow with gravity to the overhead tanks constructed at villages and from there to individual house taps without any hassle. This was what we did at Siddipet about 15 years back and it has been running successfully,” he said.
At Hanmajipet in Bejjanki mandal of Karimnagar, he along with officials and Ministers inspected the intake-well, pipelines, pump house and project design of lifting waters from LMD. He took his cabinet colleagues and officials and showed them the intake-well, pump-house and pipelines of the Siddipet water scheme and claimed that it was his brain child.
The Siddipet scheme was conceived in 1997 and commissioned in 2000 to draw water from LMD for supply of water for about 145 villages at an estimated cost of Rs. 60 crore. Now, it is supplying water for about 180 habitations.
“I have visited the LMD more than 37 times before the Siddipet project was commissioned,” he said adding that it was now the responsibility of engineers to complete the ambitious water grid project to answer the critics. Stating that the Mid-Manair project can cater to the needs of Jangaon, Station Ghanapur, Mr. Rao said that the project coming up at Pameru Gutta could cater to the needs of Warangal district and Yellamgutta project near Kollapur would meet the requirements of Mahaboobnagar, Nalgonda and Ranga Reddy districts. He said that special plan was getting ready for HMWS to improve the water supply. Deputy Chief Ministers Rajaiah and Mahmood Ali, ministers Nayini Narasimha Reddy, T Harish Rao, Etala Rajender, Pocharam Srinivas, Padma Rao, Jogu Ramanna, Jagdesh Reddy, P Mahender Reddy, deputy speaker Padma Devender Reddy attended the meeting.
Source: The Hindu