The Telangana State, particularly Hyderabad, has seen one of the intense wet spells in September and also in October so far this year. But the twin reservoirs of Osmansagar and Himayathsagar in the State capital, with a total storage capacity of 7 tmc ft, received just about 1.7 tmc ft till now. This when the rest of the city was facing inundation due to overflowing tanks in different areas.
On Saturday, the storage level in Osmansagar was 2.23 tmc ft as against the total storage capacity of 3.9 tmc ft. The fresh inflows this season so far is 0.7 tmc ft. In Himayatsagar, the storage level touched 1.68 tmc ft against the total capacity of 2.9 tmc ft with 1 tmc ft fresh inflows.
“It did not rain adequately in the catchment areas of the two reservoirs – Vikarabad, Parigi, parts of Tandur, Shankarpalli etc. Only when the catchment areas get more spells of intense rain, the rainwater through swollen rivulets and feeder channels make its way into the reservoirs,” said the officials of Hyderabad Metro Water Supply and Sewerage Board, which monitors the inflows into city reservoirs.
Last year too, the reservoirs received about the same quantity of water, after almost remaining dry for about two years, which forced the HMWSSB to suspend water supply from them from November 2015.
Apart from inadequate rain in the catchment areas, there are many who point a finger at the unregulated constructions in the vicinity of the catchment areas and encroachment of feeder channels as the reason for poor inflows into the reservoirs.
The HMWSSB officials say their responsibility is to monitor the full tank level of reservoirs and supply water to the city. In a good year if reservoirs are filled to the brim, the two reservoirs can supply 40 mgd for at least two years by gravity unlike the Krishna and Godavari drinking water schemes where water has to be pumped.
It is for the Revenue Department to act against encroachments in the catchment areas and for the irrigation department to maintain the feeder channels, they said.
Meanwhile, the reservoirs face the risk of further dwindling inflows if the demand to relax GO 111 to allow constructions in over 80 villages in their catchment areas is conceded.
