At a time when Telangana government is aggressively pushing forward Palamuru – Ranga Reddy lift-irrigation scheme whose bids for construction will be opened on February 29, irrigation officials have expressed serious doubts whether the project was a departure from the cardinal principle of ensuring 75 per cent dependable yield to farmers.
The Second Irrigation Commission, 1972, observed that the farmers should be assured of getting the designed supply in 75 per cent of the years which in effect meant supplies from any project for three out of four years.
In the case of Krishna, the 75 per cent dependable yield which is loosely called as assured water was distributed by Bachawat tribunal between Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra in the ratio of 811:734:585 tmc ft respectively, totalling 2,130 tmc ft. This quantity of flood water was not available in one out of four years.
Defying the logic, the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh took up over a decade ago, seven more schemes on the basis of surplus water amounting to 227.5 tmc ft which drained into sea. They comprised Srisailam Left Bank Canal, Telugu Ganga, Nettempad, Kalwakurthy, Veligonda, Galeru Nagari and Handri Niva Srujala Sravanti.
The engineers feel the surplus in rivers was found only in 40 per cent of years which meant that the quantum of 227.5 tmc ft or more was available in two out of five years. There was no surplus in remaining years. In addition to the seven schemes, the Telangana government now came up with Palamuru – Ranga Reddy as a surplus water-based project. It was proposed to lift 120 tmc ft from the foreshore of Srisailam at two tmc ft per day for 60 days. However, the surplus to meet the needs of seven schemes and Palamuru - Ranga Reddy in the latest circumstances was found only in one out of four years on the basis of data for the last 40 years.
Moreover, about 20 tmc ft out of 120 tmc ft for Palamuru – Ranga Reddy was meant for the drinking water needs of Hyderabad. Drinking water needs 100 per cent dependability, but here was a scheme which had 30 per cent success rate which meant just over one out of four years.
