Mallanna Sagar will transform 10 districts in state

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday dedicated the Mallanna Sagar reservoir to the people of the state. This marks a new milestone in the execution of the multi-purpose Kaleshwaram project, the world's largest lift irrigation scheme.

The Chief Minister showered praises on finance minister T. Harish Rao for expediting the Mallanna Sagar and Kaleshwaram works during his tenure as irrigation minister from 2014 to 2018. Calling him a 'young and dynamic minister', Chandrashekar Rao urged him to develop a tourism circuit by connecting all reservoirs of the project, which should become an ideal location for even Hollywood and Bollywood filmmakers. He sanctioned Rs 1,500 crore for the purpose.

Harish Rao said that it was poetic justice that Mallanna Sagar was inaugurated on February 23, the very day the Supreme Court had dismissed all petitions filed by vested interests against it in 2018.

Mallanna Sagar reservoir was constructed as part of Kaleshwaram fourth link. The Chief Minister performed a special puja at the reservoir, before releasing the Godavari river water into Mallanna Sagar on the Tukkapur surge pool. He had vowed to bring Godavari water to Mallanna Sagar and perform abhishekam at the feet of God Komaravelli Mallanna prior to construction of the Mallanna Sagar project a few years back.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Minister said that Mallanna Sagar 50 tmc ft storage capacity will change the face of ten districts in Telangana in all aspects by providing assured irrigation and drinking water besides meeting industrial needs throughout the year adding that these districts will never face water problems or drought.

Chandrashekar Rao recalled the hardships faced by him in making this project a reality.

Mallanna Sagar was constructed with an outlay of Rs 6,805 crore between Thoguta and Kondapak mandals.

Harish Rao said this is the second-largest storage reservoir in Godavari River basin after Sriramsagar and is also being termed as the biggest artificial reservoir in the country which will be filled entirely by lifting water from other sources and not by water received from its self-catchment area.

While 30 TMCfts will be used for Hyderabad’s drinking water needs, over 16 TMCft water will be released for industrial needs. The project will provide irrigation water to 15.71 lakh acres, Harish added.