With water released from the Tungabhadra dam in Karnataka reaching Kurnool, the drinking water crisis in the city is set to end soon. Sunkesula Barrage has started receiving over two lakh cusecs.
People, who have been protesting against erratic supply, expressed joy over the development. Serpentine queues and heated arguments near water tankers were a regular sight during the summer months.
District Collector G. Veerapandian visited the barrage and studied the situation there. At present, about 1,500 cusecs is being released from the barrage into the Kurnool-Cuddapah canal (KC Canal) which would first go to the summer storage tank.
Speaking to The Hindu , Kurnool Municipal Commissioner Ravindra Babu said it would take up to ten days to restore water supply.
Selfie time
“The water first needs to be pumped into the summer storage tank, which has been empty, from there it will send it for filtration and then to the city,” the Commissioner said. He said as the water is currently mixed with mud, it would take some time for it to settle down.
People in large numbers made a beeline for the barrage and took selfies.
The Collector instructed the officials concerned to keep a tight watch over the barrage to avert any untoward incident. He also told the police to take special care as the number of visitors is expected to go up on Tuesday.
