RAJAHMUNDRY: As part of development of water resources information system, the Central Water Commission is developing three gauge and discharge centres on Godavari river tributaries like Gautami, Vasishta and Seeleru. Also four telemetry stations at Chinturu, Coonavaram, Vadapallii and Polavaram irrigation project reservoir at Polavaram on the main Godavari river. It will find out water levels in real time especially when the river witnesses floods and alert local district authorities to evacuate people to safety.
Though the CWC has been keeping track of water levels and releasing periodical flood forecast especially when the Godavari and its tributaries witness floods for the benefit of the district authorities and the people living in low-lying areas along the course of the river and also those living on islands, the upcoming new facilities will enable the CWC to get real time data on quantum of water flow into the Godavari river at several locations and rise in water levels from the telemetry stations to its offices located in New Delhi and in Hyderabad through satellite link.
The CWC has its monitoring stations upstream the Godavari river so far and it does not have any such stations downstream the river from Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowleswaram so far. The gauge and discharge centres are going to be set up at Vadapalli on Gautami river, Kanuru Agraharam on Vasishta and Kotipalli on Seeleru river. A similar centre has been newly set up on Godavari river at Pamuleru.
Explaining about the alarming intensity of floods if they are failed to be properly gauged, the CWC authorities said that when Sabari witnessed floods in July, 2006, its flood monitoring facility was washed away at Injaram village killing one of their employees. They say that the gauge and discharge centres keep track of quantum of inflow of water into the main Godavari river from its tributaries at given points and help assess the rise in water level in the main river and likely chance of submergence along its course including islands.
As the CWC is coming up with improvised data on flood forecast and give graphic and digital presentation, the telemetry stations are of immense help to get real time data and update the CWC's flood forecast online for the benefit of the government to initiate necessary steps to ensure safety to the people and the properties in the vulnerable areas. Central Water Commi-ssion senior divisional engineer B.N.V. Satyanarayana said, “We are setting up gauge and discharge centres and telemetry stations on the Godavari river and its tributaries at several strategic points to keep tabs on water levels in real time especially where the river and its tributaries witness floods and provide information to the concerned authorities to take necessary steps to protect the lives of the people.”
