<div>The seventh and eighth units of the Raichur Thermal Power Station stopped functioning on Wednesday owing to water scarcity. <br /><br />With the first unit being taken up for annual maintenance, power generation has come to a standstill at three units of the 1720MW-capacity RTPS. Moreover, even the generation in the remaining five units too has been brought down so as to facilitate technical maintenance.<br /><br />Of the six pumps which supply water to the thermal power station, five are not being utilised due to water scarcity. Earthmovers have been pressed into service to provide a gradient facilitating smooth flow of water collected in patches of River Krishna.<br /><br />RTPS Executive Director C Venugopal said that 200 cusecs of water was required per day to keep all the eight units functioning. <br /><br />The water availability would go up if 350 cusec of water is released from Gugal barrage at least for 10 days.<br /><br />On the other hand, as much as 1,000 cusec of water is being released from Narayanapura dam since February 10. <br /><br />As the Gugal barrage has dried up completely, water would reach the RTPS pumphouse, only after the barrage overflows. Venugopal said that the water may reach the pumphouse by Thursday.<br /><br />Sand mining and unlawful withdrawal of water from the river have been depriving RTPS of its water share. <br /><br />According to sources, a team of officers from RTPS has met Deputy Commissioner S Sasikantha Senthil seeking to check illegal activities all along the riverbed.<br /></div>
<div>The seventh and eighth units of the Raichur Thermal Power Station stopped functioning on Wednesday owing to water scarcity. <br /><br />With the first unit being taken up for annual maintenance, power generation has come to a standstill at three units of the 1720MW-capacity RTPS. Moreover, even the generation in the remaining five units too has been brought down so as to facilitate technical maintenance.<br /><br />Of the six pumps which supply water to the thermal power station, five are not being utilised due to water scarcity. Earthmovers have been pressed into service to provide a gradient facilitating smooth flow of water collected in patches of River Krishna.<br /><br />RTPS Executive Director C Venugopal said that 200 cusecs of water was required per day to keep all the eight units functioning. <br /><br />The water availability would go up if 350 cusec of water is released from Gugal barrage at least for 10 days.<br /><br />On the other hand, as much as 1,000 cusec of water is being released from Narayanapura dam since February 10. <br /><br />As the Gugal barrage has dried up completely, water would reach the RTPS pumphouse, only after the barrage overflows. Venugopal said that the water may reach the pumphouse by Thursday.<br /><br />Sand mining and unlawful withdrawal of water from the river have been depriving RTPS of its water share. <br /><br />According to sources, a team of officers from RTPS has met Deputy Commissioner S Sasikantha Senthil seeking to check illegal activities all along the riverbed.<br /></div>
