VIJAYAWADA: Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu met Deputy Chief Minister (Panchayat Raj and Rural Development) Pawan Kalyan at the latter’s Mangalagiri camp office on Thursday to review the emerging irrigation water crisis caused by the Super El Niño phenomenon.
During the high-level meeting, Pawan Kalyan instructed officials, irrigation engineers, and public representatives to conduct direct field-level interaction meetings with farmers to explain the prevailing drought-like conditions, and promote alternative crop management strategies.
Highlighting the acute anxiety among the farming community due to dwindling reservoir levels, the Deputy Chief Minister emphasised that every drop of available water must be conserved. He directed the Water Resources Department to immediately initiate canal desilting operations, and repair embankment leaks across the distribution channel network to prevent conveyance losses.
Additionally, Pawan Kalyan asked the department to launch a wide campaign encouraging all farmers to enrol under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to shield themselves from financial losses caused by severe weather anomalies and erratic monsoon patterns.
Ramanaidu briefed the Deputy Chief Minister on his upcoming field visits to inspect the Yeleru ayacut, focusing on water stress across Pithapuram, Peddapuram and Jaggampeta constituencies in Kakinada district.
PK for special focus on farmers in Kakinada dist
During the interaction, Pawan Kalyan expressed his gratitude to the Water Resources Minister for the prompt release of 1,000 cusecs of water from the Yeleru Reservoir to meet the immediate drinking water and irrigation needs of the region. He urged the Irrigation Minister to maintain a special focus on Kakinada district and Pithapuram constituency, ensuring that all necessary State support and technical guidance reach farmers on time.
