NIZAMABAD: The Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme's pumping operations are going on in full swing to lift Godavari water from its tributary Pranahita to fill up barrages, projects and water bodies. Already, 18 pumps at Lakshmi (Medigadda), Saraswati, Parvati, Nadi and Gayatri barrages are lifting water.
The Pranahita sub-basin is the seventh largest in India.
Normal rainfall was registered in its catchment in the last week of June, bringing the first inflows of the year. Six pumps at the Lakshmi barrage are lifting 12,708 cusecs, followed by four at Saraswathi lifting 11,724 cusecs, four more at Parvati lifting 10,440 cusecs, and two pumps each at Nandi and Gayatri lifting 6,300 cusecs each.
The water heads to the Yellampalli project. From there the water is being pumped into the Mid Manair project and from there to Ranganayakasagar.
In the backdrop of the dry spell, the state government began alternative arrangements to irrigate agricultural lands in north Telangana districts.
In order to rescue farmers, Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao monitored the release of Kaleshwaram water into the Sriram Sagar project through reverse pumping in the flood flow canal.
Presently, the Sriram Sagar project has 1065.30 feet water level with 20.726 tmc of water. On the same day last year, it had a 1069.80 ft water level and 28.494 tmc of water. There were no inflows from upstream areas in river Godavari. As a result, the cultivation of crops under the SRSP command area became doubtful in the ensuing Vanakalam season.
Usually, water will be released from SRSP to flood flow canals to cater to the agriculture needs in the undivided Nizamabad and Karimnagar districts.
The state government constructed the SRSP rejuvenation scheme spending ₹1095 crore to ensure the water availability in flood level canals during adverse climate conditions.
Kaleshwaram water is being shifted to the flood flow canal through Laxmi, Saraswathi and Parvathi pump houses and the Yellampalli project. Around 122 km long flood flow canal is getting water in reverse mode from Yellampally to SRSP.
The water reached Nizamabad district on Thursday and minister for roads and buildings V. Prashanth Reddy performed special pujas at various points in the Balkonda Assembly constituency.
Speaking on the occasion, Reddy said that they never expected river Godavari water to be supplied in reverse pumping mode. The Chief Minister initiated steps to help the farmers under SRSP ayacut, he said. ‘It is a great honour for me to complete the SRSP rejuvenation scheme’, he said. Irrigation water will be available throughout the year even if the dry spell continues, he said.
Meanwhile, Prashanth Reddy, Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha and MLAs will participate in the release of Kaleshwaram water into SRSP at Mupkal pump house on Friday.
Farmers from various villages enthusiastically participated in the water release programmes along with Prashanth Reddy.
