KHAMMAM: The situation looks bleak. The mighty Godavari, locals say, looks like a ‘small canal’. Drinking water might soon be hard to come by for people living in Bhadrachalam and Manugur divisions. 
Locals say this is the worst they have seen the river look in the last 40 years. They believe if it remains like this for another fortnight, Mission Bhagiratha pipelines will have to be shut down, meaning people living in over 15 mandals in Bhadradi Kothagudem district will not get any water. 

Currently, officials say, the water-level of Godavari is at an alarming 3.5ft. “Not only at Godavari, the situation at small streams, that provide water to many villages and towns, too looks bad,” says an official. There is one other thing that has riled up the locals. For decades, the Dummagudem anicut had come to their rescue when there was water shortage in the region, for whatever reason. However, today, water levels at this anicut too have fallen dangerously low. 

Locals say this is because officials are pumping out water, which would have otherwise filled the anicut, at an upstream location to supply water to around 18 nearby villages, reportedly a part of the Mission Bhagiratha programme. Now, due to a lack of water, the mini hydel power plant adjacent to this anicut has shut down. The famous ITC Bhadrachalam paper factory that depends on Godavari for water, is likely to shut down operations if the situation prevails for 20 more days. A heavy water plant at Kummarigudem of Aswapuram mandal has already shut shop. 
B Shankar Reddy, a Bhadrachalam resident, says the public health department has been supplying water only twice through the week. 

“We have never seen the Godavari like this. We believe it is mainly because the State government is diverting the river’s water for the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project,” he says. 
Meanwhile, Mission Bhagiratha Scheme Deputy Executive Engineer P Mahender Reddy says, “We will be able to supply water for another 10 days. After that, it will indeed be critical.”