NALGONDA: Despite hundreds of crores of rupees being spent on the Udaya Samudram–Brahmana Vellemla project, the farming community in about 20 villages of Munugode mandal is enraged over the government’s failure to undertake canal construction at the field level.
Farmers, aggrieved by what they describe as decades-long injustice in access to irrigation and drinking water, are preparing to organise a massive protest at the Munugode tahsildar’s office on Monday. The Udaya Samudram Raithanga Vedika has called for intensifying the agitation with the slogan “One Person per House”.
According to farmers, the project was initiated nearly 18 years ago during the tenure of the late chief minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy but was neglected by successive governments after his demise.
They allege that even after the formation of Telangana, inadequate fund allocation has resulted in distributary canals remaining unconstructed.
D Veeraiah, a farmer from Kalvalapally, said that if just 22 km of canals are built in Munugode mandal, nearly 15,000 acres across 20 villages would receive irrigation water.
Farmers say the situation has become dire, with groundwater levels depleting drastically. In several places, even borewells drilled up to 300 feet are failing to yield water.
It is learnt that local MLA Komatireddy Rajgopal Reddy had attempted to ensure supply of water temporarily to some villages using his personal funds. However, the effort reportedly failed due to objections from certain private individuals.
The crisis has also affected the livelihoods of fishermen as village tanks remain dry. Fisherman B Venkanna said that although the government supplies free fish seedlings, fishermen incur heavy losses as tanks dry up prematurely.
Farmers warn that if canal works are not completed during the summer, the tanks may not fill even during the monsoon, raising fears that the region could gradually turn arid.
Another farmer, N Ramana, also expressed concern that once the Regional Ring Road (RRR) project is completed, the area could attract polluting industries. He feared that farmers, pushed into financial distress by repeated crop failures, might eventually be forced to sell their lands to companies.
Against this backdrop, Raithanga Vedika leader G Narasimha Reddy urged villagers to participate in large numbers and ensure the success of the protest at the Munugode MRO office on Monday morning to press for their long-pending demands.