VIJAYAWADA: Farmers of Kurnool, Kadapa, and Anantapur districts are eagerly waiting for the release of water from Tungabhadra dam to the high-level canal (HLC) and low-level canal (LLC). However, as it happens every year, they are worried that they may not get the allocated quantum of the water due to pilferage from the canals in Karnataka downstream of the Tungabhadra project.
According to officials, water from the Tungabhadra dam will be released to both HLC and LLC on July 20, at the discharge rate of 1,275 cusecs and 675 cusecs respectively for nearly four months, for the Kharif season. The assured ayacut under HLC in Anantapur and Kadapa district is 2.42 lakh acres and 46,000 acres under LLC. However, year by year, the land getting irrigated under these canals is decreasing. Last year less than 1.4 lakh ayacut was irrigated under HLC.
The reason behind the farmers not getting the allocated water is, the officials say, pilferage of water from the canals in Karnataka downstream of the Tungabhadra project. “It is not just in Karnataka, but there are some even in Andhra Pradesh, who are using the water, but are not authorised to use it, thereby denying the right of the genuine ayucutdars,” says R Ravi Chandra Reddy, a farmer from Pedda Kaduguru mandal and member, LLC Farmers’ Association.
He said that the situation had been recurring for the past seven-eight years and their complaints to the officials concerned yielded no results. Department officials said that they had lodged the complaint with the Tungabhadra dam officials and the only reply they got was that the allocated water was being released from the dam and how it was being utilised was not their concern.
“Blame it on lack of political will. Government is not serious on the issue and has not initiated any measures to discuss these problems with Karnataka,” says Bojja Dasaratha Rami Reddy, Rayalaseema Saagu Neeti Sadhana Samithi president. There is long-standing demand for lift irrigation projects on Tungabhadra and Hagri rivers, so the water, during the flood in Tungabhadra, can be lifted to HLC and LLC and stored instead of releasing it to Srisailam project.
On the other hand, farmers in Anantapur cultivating under HLC question why the Government is not utilising the existing reservoirs with holding a capacity of more than 10 TMC each in the district to store the surplus water of Tungabhadra. Meanwhile, farmers in western mandals of Kurnool under Low-Level Canal of Tungabhadra are gearing up for Paddy cultivation.
Water for Kharif
Water will be released from the Tungabhadra dam to both HLC and LLC on July 20
The discharge rate will be 1,275 cusecs (to HCL) and 675 cusecs (to LLC) for nearly four months
However, year by year, the acreage getting irrigated under these canals is decreasing
Last year less than 1.4 lakh ayacut was irrigated under HLC
Farmers are afraid that they may not get the water actually allocated to them
Officials say, pilferage of water from the canals in Karnataka downstream of the Tungabhadra project is the reason behind farmers getting less water