Kinnerasani
River in Khammam District of Telangana is an important tributary of the mighty
Godavari River. It joins the Godavari close to Bhadrachalam town as can be seen
in the above aerial views of the two Rivers. The scenic beauty along the course
of Kinnerasani River is marvelous and all the more at the Kinnerasani Reservoir
and Dam. There is greenery all around this area and most of it is a dense
forest with magnificent hills around. The river flows through the Dandakaranya
forest and an area of 635 Sq. Kms. at the reservoir is designated for the
Kinnerasani Wildlife Sanctuary.
Kinnerasani
Dam is 24 Kms. from Kothagudem, a very important coal mining town in India and
12 Kms. from Palavancha where the Kothagudem Thermal Power Station (KTPS - of
1200 MW electrical power generating capacity) is located. The Kinnerasani Dam
was completed in 1966 to mainly cater to the water requirements of KTPS.
Depending on the water level at the Reservoir; water is also supplied to
Paloncha and Kothagudem towns and also for irrigation purposes.
I
had the opportunity of going with my parents to several picnics along the
Kinnerasani River and of visiting the Kinnerasani Dam Project many times, right
from the time its construction commenced. Later, when I was working as an
Assistant Engineer at the Central Workshop and Foundry of the Singareni
Collieries Company Limited at Kothagudem, I was officially at the Kinnerasani
Reservoir for 26 days. At that time Singareni Collieries had already
constructed seven lovely cottages and a
restaurant along the Kinnerasani Reservoir named after its various coal mining
towns and my job at the Reservoir was to supervise the construction of a
Shelter in the Reservoir for the 100 HP Motor Boat the Company had procured.
This long stay gave me an opportunity to explore the area at the Reservoir on
foot and over motor boat. I got to see a variety of birds, monkeys and
sometimes snakes, snakes in water too. Deeper in the forest and at extreme ends
of the Reservoir there are said to be all kinds of wild animals but I did not
get to see them. Another interesting fact is that I have gone there on a picnic
with a girl not knowing that I would by marrying her a few years later.
Today
there is a deer park along the way to the dam. I still go there with my wife
and children as and when an opportunity arises. The beauty of this place is
permanently embedded in my mind. Just the thought of Kinnerasani and its
environs brings about a very pleasant feeling in me.
P.S.
You may click on the following link to reach several of my photo-articles /
blog posts on Kothagudem, Singareni Collieries, Bhadrachalam, Godavari River,
Parnashala, Kinnerasani and Papikondalu:
http://srisrilara.blogspot.in/2013/08/list-and-links-to-my-blog-posts-on.html
No comments:
Post a Comment