Rayalaseema region staring at severe drought

April 09, 2024 10:56 pm | Updated 10:56 pm IST - TIRUPATI

Even as a heatwave of unprecedented scale is sweeping the State, water scarcity appears to be the next worst thing to happen to the Rayalaseema region, comprising the southern districts of Andhra Pradesh.

With the mercury level hovering around 43 degrees Celsius in the first week of April, the residents are already scared of what May will feel like. Notwithstanding the all-pervasive election mood, the sun-baked roads wear a deserted look from 11 am till 4 pm in almost all the towns and villages. A curfew-like atmosphere witnessed around noon tells the remaining story.

While many municipalities are supplying water on a daily basis, some like Adoni, Bethamcherla, Badvel, Pulivendula, Chittoor, Dharmavaram, Dhone, Gooty, Gudur (Kurnool), Guntakal, Kadiri, Kamalapuram, Kuppam, Madanapalle, Nandyal, Punganur, Puttur, Rayachoti, Rayadurg, Tadipatri, Tirupati and Yerraguntla are supplying it on alternate days.

The worst hit at the start of April are Kadapa, Palamaner, Penukonda and Hindupur, where water is supplied once in three days. Most of the ULBs have already started supplying water through tankers to supplement the availability through household taps.

Lack of long-term planning

The situation has worsened in most towns due to the alleged neglect in addressing the drinking water problem on a long-term basis. The situation is a ‘never-before’ sort of tale in many districts.

For example, Mydukur town is surrounded by Penna and Kundu rivers, Kurnool Cuddapah (KC) canal and Telugu Ganga canal on all its sides, but the residents still suffer due to lack of concerted efforts to channelise the water for the town.

Pulivendula municipality having 70,000 population supplies water on alternate days. “We have a summer storage tank at Parnapalli with a holding capacity of 0.5 TMC, from which we supply water through a 15-km-long pipeline to the town,” Municipal Chairman Vallepu Varaprasad told The Hindu. He appealed to the public to use the water judiciously in order not to suffer for the next six months.

Similarly, SPSR Nellore Collector M. Hari Narayanan has also stated that there is no water shortage in the municipalities in the district.

Municipal Corporation of Tirupati (MCT) draws water from Telugu Ganga (Kailasagiri reservoir), the Kalyani dam, 388 power bore wells and 226 hand pumps. MCT Commissioner Aditi Singh has represented to the Tirupati district Collector that water in Kailasagiri and the Kalyani dam may touch the dead storage level sooner than expected.

High-level meet

At a high-level meeting to review the drinking water scarcity held in Amaravati recently, with the Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy in the chair, it was amply made clear that water supply for some towns will not last beyond April 15, and many will face a grave situation by April end.

At least 17 of the 25 districts in the State are likely to face a severe drought-like situation in the coming days, as per the reports submitted by the district Collectors to the Department of Panchayat Raj and Rural Development. Top priority has been accorded to augmenting water supply through tankers in 388 mandals declared as ‘drought hit’.