RAJANNA-SIRCILLA/SIDDIPET : As water from Kondapochamma Sagar slowly gushed into Upper Manair Dam (UMD) in Rajanna-Sircilla district on Monday, several farmers and TRS leaders performed pujas near Srigadha bridge in Gambhiraopet mandal.
After ensuring that the UMD ayacut is well-irrigated, water from Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIS) will be redirected to fill Gambhiraopet and Yellareddypeta tanks, tweeted MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao, alongside a video of Kudavelli Vagu brimming with Godavari water, which reached the stream a week ago.
A Amarender Reddy, Executive Engineer of division 7 of the Irrigation Department, said, "Water had reached the Kudavelli stream after filling about 29 check dams. The government has decided to fill the UMD ayacut first, and then the surrounding tanks."
Local farmers are a happy lot, as Godavari water is set to irrigate their fields even in the summer. Until now, those who were cultivating paddy in the UMD ayacut were worried about the lack of water this season.
But Finance Minister T Harish Rao brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who agreed to divert it to Kudavelli Vagu. Speaking to The New Indian Express, Ramreddy, a farmer from Dubbaka mandal, said, "We have a feeling that the water problem has been permanently resolved by the State government."
Social media is rife with videos of KLIS water flowing into UMD. The Chief Minister and Finance Minister were being showered with praises for their efforts at bringing Godavari water to Gajwel, and now, the UMD.