Industry banking on Kaleshwaram project

Hyderabad: With the Medigadda-Mid Manair stretch getting ready, industry is hoping that the Kaleshwaram project will resolve the problem of acute water scarcity that it is currently facing.

The government’s Rs 80,500-crore project will resolve the decades-old water shortage for industry, said Mr Gowra Srinivas, president of FTAPCCI (Federation of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry). The government has allocated 16 tmc ft for the industrial estates, said an official from the irrigation ministry. The TS Industrial Infrastructure Corporation has 170 industrial parks across the state. The industry chambers has sought 20 per cent water allocation from the project.

“Industry has been suffering from water shortage owing to lack of infrastructure, depleting groundwater levels and drought conditions, etc. Though we have 10 per cent water allocation for the industry requirements, several industrial estates are facing acute water shortage,” said Mr Srinivas.

“Industrial workers are also suffering from drinking water problem. We hope that the Kaleshwaram project will ensure more than sufficient water for the industry,” he said.

Work on the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages under the Kaleshwaram project are in progress. The Annaram and Sundilla barrages are expected to be completed by August as the world’s largest irrigation pumping house is nearing completion.

The Kaleshwaram project has seven links and 28 packages. The first barrage is coming up at Medigadda in Bhupalapally district. Water will be lifted from Godavari at Medigadda and pumped in the reverse direction first to the Yellampalli reservoir and then to the Mid Manair project. This is expected to be operational in January 2019.

There would be no water problem for the industry once the project takes off, said Mr Sridhar Deshpande, officer on special duty to irrigation minister T. Harish Rao.

“The government has allocated 16 tmc ft water for industrial requirements. Link-2 will ensure lifting Yellampally water to mid-Manair reservoir, otherwise, we’ll source water from Medigadda. Water allocation for the industry will be made as the project progresses,” Mr Deshpande said.

The Kaleshwaram project has been designed to irrigate 37 lakh acres including a new area of 18.25 lakh acres in nine districts and stabilise 18.75 lakh acres. 
Seven motors of 139MW each are being assembled. Two motors have been installed and the dry run has been completed successfully. The dry run for two more motors will be conducted by August.