KHAMMAM: FOR the longest time, the Taliperu reservoir, eponymously named after the river it is built on, has been one irrigation project that the people of Bhadrachalam division could depend on. Farmers, both tribal and non-tribal, could count on water being supplied from this project for the cultivation of at least one crop every year.
However, due to government apathy, today this irrigation project poses a risk not only to the crops in the region but also the lives of people living in the region. For the past four years, with the government not having released funds, authorities concerned have not de-silted the project’s canals or even performed general maintenance. At many places, the canals are filled to the brim with weeds and other debris, obstructing the flow of water. It is no surprise that farmers being serviced by the two main canals and other distributor channels complain that they don’t get proper water supply anymore. The fate of crops being cultivated across 24,700 acres in the region is hanging in the balance.
The project, also known as the Taliperu Medium Project, was built over a period of 10 years. It was made operational in 1984.It has one main canal of each side, irrigating an ayacut of 10,000 acres on the right and 15,700 on the left. For nearly two-and-a-half decades, the project was running well.But, locals say, a few years ago the government stopped sanctioning funds for the project. The only funds released were used to pay electricity bills.
Sources say the State government had sanctioned `44 crore towards the project’s modernisation in 2010, but the concomitant work has still not been finished.The status of this amount remains a mystery as officials concerned say they need fresh funds to take up urgent repair.
Speaking to Express, an officials working at the main site admitted that the project’s gates needed immediate repair. “The gates need to be repaired and painted. There are other extremely important mechanical works too. They need to be done on an emergency basis, but we don’t have funds,” he said.
Project Deputy Executive Engineer B Tirupathi added: “We sent proposals to the government last year, asking for `5.9 crore for the gates’ repair and painting. We are waiting for the amount to be sanctioned.”