The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Floods in Pennar, Chitravathi

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Floods in Pennar, Chitravathi

M. Malleswara Rao

Gandikota project submerged partially

Heavy inflows: Gandikota project partially submerged in Pennar following heavy rain on Thursday.

HYDERABAD: Heavy rain in Anantapur district and the adjoining areas in Karnataka caused flash floods in Pennar and Chitravathi rivers, resulting in partial submergence of Gandikota project under construction as part of Jalayagnam.

The floods came as a relief to the State which is reeling under dry a spell. Many places in the catchment areas of the rivers lying in Anantapur and Kadapa districts and Karnataka border region recorded 6 to 9 cm of rainfall each on Wednesday as the monsoon turned vigorous over Rayalaseema.

Copious inflows

Flash floods in several streams brought copious inflows into the two rivers. Gandikota, whose construction across the Pennar reached final stage, came under submergence along with construction material, cranes, heavy machinery and vehicles.

Following the project’s submergence, one tmcft of water reached Mylavaram dam that lies 10 km downstream, said T. S. Prakasha Rao, advisor, Irrigation (Rayalaseema). This one tmcft would solve the water problem of Rayalaseema Thermal Power Station (RTPS) at Muddanur for 8 months.

The power station which was about to be shut down for want of water, can now be operated at its full capacity (840 MW) to reduce power shortage.

Meanwhile moderate rain was experienced in other parts of the State, but without benefiting the reservoirs in the Krishna, Godavari and Vamsadhara basins. The plight of the command areas under Sriramsagar, Nizamsagar and Singur, all in Godavari basin, was such that they might have to forgo kharif unless heavy rains occur.

The reservoirs of Nagarjunasagar and Srisailam are better off with the storage remaining above the minimum draw-down levels. However, no immediate benefit from them is expected as the government deciding to preserve the water to meet the exigencies in the event of a drought.

Somasila and Kandaleru projects in the Pennar basin have sufficient water storage. Water release from them can be expected for crops in Nellore and Chittoor districts for which kharif, indeed, sets in November.

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