Drinking water crisis hits Telangana due to lack of power to pump Mission Bhagiratha water

Due to power disruption people in over 5,000 habitations across Telangana faced drinking water problems after heavy rain lashed the State earlier this week

Hyderabad: The disruption of power supply due to heavy rain and strong wind has halted the pumping of drinking water in several habitations across six districts of the State.

The heavy rains in the last few days have severely disrupted drinking water supply networks, particularly in the districts of Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem, Mahabubabad, Suryapet, Nizamabad, and Nagarkurnool. According to officials, due to power disruption people in over 5,000 habitations faced drinking water problems after heavy rain lashed the State on August 31. For the first three days people in these districts did not have access to drinking water through pipelines and they had to depend on other sources, the officials added.

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After restoration of power, drinking water supply has started in over 4000 habitations and efforts are being made by the power officials to restore power in other habitations as well.The power officials informed that drinking water supply was halted as in several places as substations submerged due floods. They claimed that power supply restoration works were going on a war footing and that in the next 24-hours restoration works would be completed in the majority of the affected areas.

Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited(TGSPDCL) Chairman and Managing Director Musharraf Ali Faruqui informed that the company suffered heavy losses in Suryapet district due to heavy rains. As many as 2127 electric poles, including 15 33 kv poles, 1074 11 kv poles, 1038 LT poles and 319 transformers were damaged due to rain and strong wind, he said.

According to Telangana State Northern Power Distribution Company Limited(TGNPDCL) officials, except for some places in Khammam, Bhadradri-Kothagudem and Mahabubabad districts, the power had been restored in all the other districts under its jurisdiction. They ensured that in the next 24-hours power would be restored in all the areas in these three districts.