Board to set up pumps on barge to draw water

Hyderabad: As water levels in Nagarjuna Sagar continue to plummet, officials of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board (HMWSSB) are making contingency plans to deal with the water crisis.
Anticipating a further drop in water levels in May as the summer reaches its peak, the state govt has given the board permission to arrange for pumping facilities on barge (pontoon) to draw water from the Nagarjuna Sagar.
The water board plans to use this barge when the water level in Nagarjuna Sagar reaches 500 metres, or 490 metres at the most.
In April, the water board started emergency pumping after the reservoir level dropped to 505 metres.
“Moreover, if the monsoon is not favourable, the water problem is likely to affect Greater Hyderabad and its periphery,” said a senior HMWSSB official.
With the poll code being enforced due to the Lok Sabha polls on May 13, the officials have approached the chief electoral officer for permission to float tenders for setting up a barge at Puttamgandi, where the water board is currently using an emergency pump.
Speaking to STOI, HMWSSB chief general manager, project, D Sudarshan said that the barge is a precautionary measure.