Hyderabad: Chief minister Sri K Chandrashekhar Rao (KCR) on Tuesday released Godavari water from the Kondapochamma Sagar into Haldi Vagu at Avusulapalli in Wargal Mandal of Siddipet district.
Under the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), the Telangana government’s ambitious project, water from Kaleswaram, which had already reached the Mid-Maner dam from Medigadda (the starting point of the KLS), was flown into Kondapochamma Sagar.
Later, Konda PochammaSagar water was released to Gajwel Canal to fill up 20 tanks in Siddipet district. KCR, on reaching Avusulapalli, was accorded the traditional Purnakumba welcome by priests. Chandrashekhar Rao was accompanied by Speakes P. Srinivas Reddy, finance minister T Harish Rao, roads and buildings minister V Prashant Reddy, and others.
Before releasing the water into the canal, the chief minister performed special pujas to River Godavari. Amidst cheers and slogans by the locals, he released the water into the canal. According to a report by Telangana Today, 1,600 cusecs will be released into the canal and it would take 10 days for the water to reach the Nizam Sagar project. The water will keep Haldi Vagu and Manjeera flowing even during mid-summer.
Since the Nizam Sagar project is downstream, the water will help farmers irrigate over 14,000 acres en route. After traveling about 70 km, Haldi Vagu will merge with River Manjeera.
Kondapochamma Sagar reservoir was built as a part of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme, which was inaugurated by chief minister KCR in May last year. The reservoir receives water from the Markook surge pool, which in turn receives water from Akkaram pump-house.
The 15.8 kilometer-long Kondapochamma Sagar has a capacity of 15 TMC. This project was built at a cost of Rs 1,668.55 crore and has a water spread area of 17.027 sq km. Its full-reservoir level is 618 m and is envisaged to provide irrigation to more than two lakh acres of ayacuts through 13 canals.