To rejuvenate the groundwater table and augment water supply for irrigation and drinking, as many as 25 check dams have been sanctioned across various rivulets, streams and other water bodies under four irrigation sub-divisions in the district at an estimated cost of ₹ 75.22 crore.
A multipurpose check dam is under construction across the Munneru river at Prakashnagar in the town at a cost of ₹ 7.45 crore. The proposed water harvesting structure is designed to prevent wastage of floodwaters and conserve the precious resource.
Once completed it will accrue multiple benefits such as increasing the town’s groundwater table and also effectively catering to the small ayacut located on the right bank of Munneru, a tributary of Krishna river. It can also help cater to the drinking water needs of some of the areas, situated on the left bank of Munneru river, in Khammam Municipal Corporation (KMC) limits, if an intake well is constructed alongside, sources in the Irrigation department said.
The Munneru river has its catchment area spread in the old undivided Khammam and Warangal districts. It extends a stretch of 40 km in Khammam district. As many as 61 proposals were earlier submitted to the State government for construction of check dams across several streams and rivulets under Khammam, Wyra, Madhira and Sattupalli sub-divisions in the last financial year. Of these, 25 proposals were approved by the government in January this year, sources added.
Work on some of these proposed check dams including the one across Nimmavagu in Raghunadhapalem mandal are progressing at a brisk pace. The upcoming structure across Nimmavagu will benefit the tribal farmers and help recharge the groundwater table in K V Banjara and several other adjoining villages in Raghunadhapalem mandal in Khammam sub-division.