The high-level meeting of Chief Ministers of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh lifted the hopes of farmers under Tungabhadra LLC and HLC. The heads of two states mainly focused on modernisation of canals to increase the flow.
The area under LLC is shrinking year after year due to the excess utilization in the upper reaches. The LLC was designed to draw 1800 to 2200 cusecs from the TB dam to supply water to areas in Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
The canal was earmarked 24 tmcft for A.P. areas but the allocation is done proportionately based on the realisation of water in TB dam. The capacity of the reservoir declined due to silt.
The canal flows to a length of 450 km including 131 km in Karnataka, another 120 km in both states and 200 km purely in Andhra Pradesh. The canal irrigates 1.51 lakh acres in A.P. especially in Kurnool district.
The canal flows to a length of 72 km in mountainous terrain where no cultivation is possible. However, majority of water is lost between 72 to 131 km where the water is diverted through illegal holes and pipes. It has been a regular practice that irrigation officials of A.P. patrol the canal bunds armed with axes cutting the illegal pipes used to steal water.
As against the designed flow of 670 cusecs, only 200 cusecs was realized at A.P. border at times. The farmers and political leaders have been agitating for parallel canal to check the pilferage. However, the Karnataka government gave its consent for modernisation of the two canals which is likely to improve the flow.
The HLC was earmarked 32 tmcft but only one of it reached the ayacut in Anantapur and Kurnool district.
The modernisation will definitely arrest the plug in the initial years but the two governments should also arrive at an understanding to sustain the arrangement.
