The stage is set for the release of water to Chennai metropolis from the Kandaleru reservoir from Friday.
With Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy clearing the decks, the irrigation authorities have made all arrangements to release initially over 1,000 cusecs.
“The water release will be stepped up to 1,500 cusecs after assessing the canal carrying capacity and plugging breaches, if any, in the next 30 to 45 days to meet the drinking water needs of denizens of Chennai,” Telugu Ganga Project Superintending Engineer K. Harinarayana Reddy told The Hindu.
With the Kandaleru reservoir receiving a steady inflow of 10,459 cusecs of water from the overflowing Somasila reservoir, there will be no problem in meeting the Krishna water needs of Tamil Nadu capital this year, according to sources in the Irrigation Department.
Tamil Nadu is entitled for 15 tmcft under the Telugu Ganga project with Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh as also Telangana chipping in with their contributions.
The Kandaleru reservoir now has a storage of 37.72 tmcft of water. The released water is expected to reach the Poondi reservoir, which is the storage point of Krishna water in Tamil Nadu in six days through the Kandaleru-Poondi canal.
Simultaneously, water will be released from Kandaleru to fill drinking water reservoirs in among other places Tirupati, Srikalahasti, Venkatagiri and Rapur in the State.
