Kurnool: Kurnool city is grappling with severe water shortage even as heatwave conditions are worsening.
The water shortage is due to minimal rainfall last year. Under normal conditions, Kurnool city gets 70 cusecs of water from the Tungabhadra River. But rainfall shortage has led to the city getting only 50–55 million litres per day.
Sunkesula barrage is another vital water source for Kurnool city. It has, however, dried up due to shortage of rain and escalating temperatures. The barrage now has only 0.030 TMC feet of water remaining of the total capacity of 1.200 TMC feet.
In a bid to overcome the worsening situation, the Kurnool district collector granted special permission last month to the Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) to draw 50 cusecs of water from Gajuladinne Project, 70 km away from the city, for drinking purposes.
However, water in this project too is depleting. Only 1.47 TMC feet of water is left out of a total capacity of 4.500 TMC feet.
Residential areas across the city are facing acute water scarcity. More than 100 colonies in the municipal limits are receiving water only once or twice a week.
Temperatures soaring to 45-46 degrees Celsius have made the matter worse. Residents of Kurnool are hoping for rains to alleviate their heat and water woes. But meteorologists have warned that temperatures are going to further rise in May.
K. Mary, a resident of the Hosanna Mandir area on Kodumur Road, says they sometimes go without water for up to three days, causing significant inconvenience. She underlined that many of the poorer sections rely solely on water from municipal taps. They cannot afford the excessive costs associated with drilling bore wells.
K. Murali Krishna, a resident of C-Camp area, said they often have to stay up late at night to fill their water tanks. Tenants in the area take turns to share the burden of filling water tanks.
Municipal officials are attributing the water shortage to reduced rainfall, particularly in the catchment area of Sunkesula reservoir, which traditionally serves as the city's primary water source.
A municipal field staff said even residents with bore-wells in their homes are primarily relying on municipal water, using motors to draw and store water. Such reliance on municipal water has increased the burden on the civic body. He emphasises that residents need to use water judiciously during the summer months.
