ANANTAPUR: The inter-state irrigation project near Hospet in Karnataka, Tungabhadra reservoir, is likely to overflow on Tuesday or Wednesday.

It is for the first time during the last five-six years the reservoir is going to overflow in the first week of August itself.

A visit to Tungabhadra dam site on Monday presented a pleasant sight as the reservoir was brimming with water and the waves energised by heavy winds splashing the visitors on the anicut. The flow of visitors to the dam site was on the rise for the last three days, the project officials said.

Interruption

However, the pitiable fact remains that the farmers under Tungabhadra Right High Level Canal in Anantapur are yet to receive water to their fields. Drawal of water by Andhra Pradesh, which commenced on July 21, was interrupted just three days later due to a breach allegedly caused by unauthorised farmers in the Karnataka territory at 88.940 km of the main canal. The breach delayed the process further and the water release was resumed on July 28.

The interruption prevented Andhra Pradesh from drawing about 0.5 tmcft water from the reservoir. But, the weak embankments and structures at several places on the main canal have been allowing drawal of only 1,600 cusecs at Andhra Pradesh border, the release at the head was about 2,400 cusecs.

On Monday morning, water level in the reservoir was 1630.5 feet and the capacity was 101.76 tmc ft with 86,291 cusecs inflows. The flow is likely to sustain for another one week, the project engineers stated. During the last one week the reservoir has received about 50 tmc ft of water.

Emergency repairs to the main canal in the Karnataka territory delayed the water release, though both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh gave their indent for water by July 13 itself. When contacted, the Secretary of Tungabhadra Board M. Sivadas attributed the delay to grounding of works and release of funds by Andhra Pradesh.

With the Rs. 31 crores released by Andhra Pradesh this year the canal was made safe to carry water at least for one season, he stated. The board had prepared a report to take up modernisation with Rs. 128 crores, he noted.

Meanwhile, extra power generation was taken up at the three power stations on HLC, which would generate about 82 MW power together, on Monday as the water level reached 1630 feet, the DEE of the reservoir, U. Rajanna, stated. Flood discharge would commence once the water level reached 1632.5 ft against the full reservoir level of 1633 ft.

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