Gulte Movie News And Politics
Visakhapatnam is getting plenty of rain this week. The city recorded heavy rainfall on September 23, and the India Meteorological Department has forecast more heavy rain for September 24 and 25 as a deep depression over the Bay of Bengal crossed the North Andhra coast. But, there is also a water crisis.
That might sound like strange timing for a story about a water crisis. But the rain comes after weeks of concern over Vizag’s water supply, with several reservoirs running low, groundwater levels falling and some residential areas increasingly depending on tankers. The state government is now looking at additional sources, including Godavari water through the Polavaram Left Main Canal.
The immediate question is whether this week’s rain can ease the pressure. The bigger question is why Vizag’s water supply became so vulnerable in the first place.
Lesser Rainfall Than Usual
The story begins with the monsoon. Andhra Pradesh had received 270.86 mm of rainfall against a normal 517.19 mm by September 20, a deficit of 47.63%. The rainfall shortage has also affected groundwater recharge.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has linked the rainfall deficit to El Niño. El Niño is the periodic warming of the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and can influence atmospheric circulation and rainfall patterns across the world. In India, El Niño has historically been associated with weaker monsoons, although it does not mean that every region will necessarily receive less rain.
Whatever the contribution of El Niño, the effect of a poor monsoon is easier to see on the ground.
Reservoir Situation
At a September 19 review, officials said Raiwada had around 0.9 TMC against a capacity of 3.6 TMC, while Meghadrigedda had around 0.2 TMC against 1.17 TMC. Tatapudi had around 1.2 TMC against 3.3 TMC.
Yeleru has become particularly important. Currently the flow rate that is being supplied from the reservoir towards the Kanithi Balancing Reservoir and the government is considering increasing this to 350 cusecs. Officials have also been asked to prepare pumps to access Yeleru’s dead storage if required.
Ground Water Situation
Groundwater has added another layer to the problem. Visakhapatnam’s average groundwater depth increased from 7.65 metres below ground level in August 2025 to 11.51 metres in August 2026. This means it has fallen by 3.86 metres. District groundwater authorities attributed the decline primarily to the rainfall deficit.
Residents in areas such as Yendada, Madhurawada and Kommadi have increasingly turned to tankers as borewells have dried up and municipal supply has become irregular. A September 23 report said hundreds of borewells had become defunct in parts of the city. The recent rain has already helped some borewells start functioning again, but residents say more rain will be needed to sustain groundwater levels.
The Sudden Heavy Rainfall Can Be A Relief?
Then came the deep depression. The system crossed the North Andhra-South Odisha coast early on September 24, bringing heavy rain across the region. The latest forecasts indicate that rain will continue on September 24 and 25.
That could give Vizag some breathing room. Reservoirs can receive fresh inflows and groundwater can begin to recharge. But there is a difference between rainfall and usable water. A short spell of intense rain does not necessarily replenish reservoirs or aquifers by the same amount, particularly when much of the water runs off quickly.
And this is where the latest rain creates an interesting question for Vizag. The city has been struggling because of a prolonged rainfall deficit, but it is now experiencing some of the heaviest rain of the season. How much of that water will actually be captured and stored?
The government is meanwhile looking beyond the current weather system.
Addressing The Problem Long Term
Naidu has said Vizag’s water problem can be addressed within two years through the Polavaram Left Main Canal, which would bring Godavari water towards the region. He has also said Godavari water has already reached Anakapalli through the canal.
There is already a project underway to connect the canal to Meghadrigedda. A 10.5-km pipeline is being built with a proposed capacity of around 100 cusecs, with about nine kilometres reportedly completed by September 20. Officials are also examining the possibility of lifting Polavaram water towards Raiwada.
But whether Polavaram can permanently solve Vizag’s water problem is still a question for the future. The government is presenting it as a way to diversify the city’s sources, but the system will still depend on infrastructure being completed, water being available in the canal and the additional supply actually reaching the parts of the city that need it.
Managing The Existing Water
There is also a more immediate question about how Vizag manages the water it already has.
The city reportedly needs around 480 million litres of water a day (MLD) but is receiving roughly 410 MLD, according to government figures cited by Reuters in August. That means the current issue is not simply about finding a new source; there is already a gap between demand and supply.
So the crisis being caused by El Niño is only a part of the story, so is Polavaram solving the crisis.
The coming days could tell us something useful. If this week’s rain significantly improves reservoir storage and groundwater levels, it could ease the immediate crisis. If the relief is short-lived, the city’s dependence on additional sources will become even more apparent.
Either way, Vizag’s water problem may be less about one bad monsoon and more about how much water the city needs, how much it can store, how efficiently it distributes what it has, and how many reliable sources it actually has when the rains fail.
For now, the skies have finally opened over Vizag. The more difficult question is what happens when they close again.
