After nearly three decades, the villagers of Mandepalli village in Sircilla mandal saw their ancient village tank (Timmannakunta) not just filled with water but also overflowing due to copious inflows. The tank was restored by the police.
As part of Mission Kakatiya programme, the Sircilla police had adopted this village and took up desiltation works to revive the defunct minor irrigation tank in May this year. Superintendent of Police D. Joel Davis had formally launched the desiltation works.
Before the tank was restored, it was completely flat with the silt and huge shrubs in it. The police, with the support of local philanthropists, revived the tank by using poclains and removing more than 4,000 truck full of silt as well as plants. They built a strong bund for the tank measuring three metres in width, which had dilapidated earlier.
Incessant rains
With incessant rains in the district, the minor irrigation tank received copious inflows and completely filled up, so much so that water was overflowing from the spillway. Buoyed over the tank getting filled, the villagers were seen visiting it and offering prayers.
Sircilla Inspector Vijay Kumar told The Hindu that with the restoration of the ancient tank, it would become a source for irrigation for about 150 acres in the village, and also recharge the groundwater table in Mandepalli and Mannepalli villages of the mandal. “We (police) feel happy and proud for restoring the defunct minor irrigation tank, and with the Rain God for filling up the tank,” he said.
