Satellite images show water-level rising in Ranganayaka Sagar reservoir

Hyderabad: Satellite images of the 60-year-old dream project of Siddipet-Ranganayaka Sagar show why it is a time of rejoice for the farmers of Siddipet. Telangana finance minister T. Harish Rao and Municipal Administration and Urban Development (MAUD) minister K.T. Rama Rao had released Godavari water into the Ranganayaka Sagar project for the first time from its surge pool in Siddipet district on April 25, 2020.

Satellite images captured by Sentinel-2 show water-level rising in the long cherished Ranganayaka Sagar. However, after some time, water was released into the canals, maintaining the water-level at 1.8 ft.

Sridhar Rao Deshpande, OSD (irrigation) to the Chief Minister told NewsMeter: “Since rabi is over, we don’t need to release water from the reservoir currently. Water for drinking purpose will be met by the Mission Bhageeratha. The reservoir's full capacity is 3 tmcft (thousand million cubic feet).”

“Both the right and left canals of the reservoir are already full and we started pumping water to check dams and tanks. Our target is to fill 400 check dams and tanks by kharif season in July. Further, this water will also recharge groundwater.” Mr Deshpande added.

The reservoir is located near Chandlapur village of Chinnakodur mandal, Siddipet district. It will now offer the Siddipet people their due share of Godavari water to irrigate fields.

“Ranganayaka Sagar was completed spending '463 crore. It is expected to provide irrigation to 1.10 lakh acres of farmland. Almost 2,100 acres was acquired from farmers for constructing the reservoir’s bund,” said a district official to NewsMeter.

The reservoir’s bund stretches for a length of 8.65 km and stands at 32.4 metre, at the highest point and is 6-mt wide. At the ground level, it is 196-mt wide. “Ranganayaka Sagar reservoir receives water from Kaleshwaram via mid-Maneru project. Water from Annapurna reservoir located at Ananthagiri in Siricilla district will flow into Ranganayaka Sagar surge pool. From here, water would flow into the Komuravelli Mallana and then into Konda Pochamma reservoir,” the official said.