With the successful dry run of the first pump having the capacity to lift 3,000 cusecs of water at the Yellur pump house of the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS), the authorities of the Irrigation department and work agencies are preparing to take up the dry run of the second pump by the week-end and wet run by September 15.
The project engineers say they have plans to test all parameters of the pumps with the capacity of 145 megawatt each during the trial wet run from September 15 for a couple of days before the official commissioning of the pump. Sources stated that Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao would attend the part commissioning of the Yedula pump house to lift Srisailam backwater into Narlapur reservoir.
Special Chief Secretary (Irrigation) Rajat Kumar who inspected the Karivena reservoir work on Sunday night stated that they have plans to bring water to Karivena reservoir in 40-45 days, stage-by-stage. Speaking after inspecting the work of shifting the Mission Bhagiratha pipeline coming in the way of PRLIS work at Vattem in Bijinepally mandal of Mahabubnagar district, he explained that after impounding at least 2 tmc ft water in Narlapur reservoir they would take up second stage lifting of water to put it into Yedula reservoir by September 25.
To take the water further, the authorities have plans to lift water in the third stage to take it to Vattem reservoir by the end of October first week and the plan was to lift water in the fourth stage to take it to Karivena reservoir after a gap of week to 10 days. The engineers were tied up with resolving the issue of ensuring the flow of water in the deep-cut stretch of open gravity canal at Kudikilla.
Mr. Rajat Kumar stated that there was no problem in utilising the surplus flood water from the Srisailam reservoir for drinking and irrigation needs planned under PRLIS. From Karivena, water would be given to 3.6 lakh acres of ayacut and also drinking water to several fluoride-affected villages.
Meanwhile, Minister for IT, Industries and Urban Development K.T. Rama Rao took to a social media platform hailing the successful dry run of the first pump of PRLIS. “Shredding the conspiracies, hurdles, cases and obstructions, PRLIS is another example of the resolve of the KCR Government to bring Krishna waters to the parched lands of combined Mahabubnagar and parts of combined Rangareddy and Nalgonda districts”, he stated.
