With the early setting in of monsoon over Telangana, the State Government has decided to release water to over 1.5 lakh acres for the cultivation of kharif crops under projects having water for irrigation needs.
Minister for Irrigation T. Harish Rao has directed the officials to take steps to release water to the ayacut under Singoor, Kaddam, Ghanapuram, Neelvai, Mathadivagu, Kumram Bheem, Gollavagu and Nallavagu major and medium irrigation projects as early as required. The decision was taken at a meeting on the irrigation action plan for the kharif season held here on Thursday.
It was decided that available water in the identified projects would meet the irrigation needs for 40,000 acres under Singoor, 50,000 acres under Kaddam, 20,000 acres under Ghanapuram, 21,000 acres under Kumram Bheem, 7,000 acres under Neelvayi and 6,000 acres each under Gollavagu and Mathadivagu.
Repair gates
The Minister has asked the irrigation officials to conduct awareness meetings by involving the officials of agriculture and revenue departments for release of water under Sriramsagar, Nagarjunasagar, Alimineti Madhava Reddy Project, Nizamsagar and other projects as soon as necessary inflows were received. He told the engineers to strengthen the gates of various projects by taking up necessary repairs at the earliest.
Stating that early release of water to kharif crops would help cover additional ayacut in the rabi season the minister suggested the officials to compare the reports of revenue and irrigation departments on the extent of ayacut that was given water last year, 2016-17 water year.
Tail to head irrigation
Mr. Harish Rao asked the engineers to explore the possibility of implementing the ‘tail-to-head’ concept of water release to the ayacyt which was implemented successfully in the Peddapally area last year. He suggested that such system could be implemented under as many distributaries and main canals as possible under various projects this year. Similarly, the efficient water management implemented under Nizamsagar last year could be replicated under other project areas this year, he noted. He wanted the officials to work towards preparing and achieving action plans for entire ayacut.
On improving the facilities in the habitations that were relocated due to displacement of existing habitations for construction of irrigation projects, the Minister told the chief engineers to take steps for notifying such habitations as gram panchayats.
