Ensure water for Rabi crop in north Telangana: K Chandrasekhar Rao

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Tuesday directed the irrigation authorities to release waters for raising Rabi crop in north Telangana projects like Sriramsagar, Nizamsagar, Ghanpur, Gutpa, Alisagar and Singur with the cooperation of the local leaders. 

Speaking after a review meeting, Mr Rao directed the officials to release water for Rabi only after ensuring sufficient storage for Mission Bhagiratha under SRSP, Nizamsagar, Lower Manair Dam and Singur. 

He also instructed the officials to ensure all tanks under the Kaleswaram project be filled with Godavari water and said that for this, all canals should be ready by 2018. Since the water will be available at Kaleswaram from next year, all the works should be completed in the meantime, the CM said, adding that people’s representatives should take the initiative and monitor the works.

“We are constructing a barrage at Medigadda after the spot where the Pranahita flows into Godavari for the Kaleswaram project. It’s said that around 1,700 tmc ft of water is available there. Barrages and reservoirs are being constructed to utilise this water. The people’s representatives should ensure that this water reaches the farmlands and monitor the works in their areas,” Mr Rao said. 

The CM said that the Bachawat Tribunal had in 1974 categorically stated that Telangana had 1,265 tmc ft share of water in Godavari and Krishna rivers. “But due to neglect and discrimination in undivided AP, the entire tank systems were destroyed and water could not be properly utilised. Now, with major projects are coming up in the state, there will be availability of water and an action plan should be implemented to fill up all the tanks,” Mr Rao said.

He made it clear that every acre of farmland under the old Karimnagar district should get water. Mr Rao suggested that a special lift irrigation project be set up at Yellampally to lift water to serve 20,000 acres under Ramagundam area. 

He wanted a reservoir be built at Pattipaka in Dharmaram mandal to supply irrigation water to Pedapalli, Ramagundam, Mancherial and Dharmapuri Assembly segments.