Yet another controversy arose over drawing of water from Tungabhadra river between the farmers of Kurnool and Mahabubnagar districts.
Farmers of Dudyala, Konthalapadu and other places gathered at the river bund near Dudyala on Wednesday and protested, ransacking the equipment deployed for laying a pipeline. The AP Irrigation Development Corporation has been executing a pipeline for Garlapadu village on northern bund of the river in Mahabubnagar district to provide irrigation to about 500 acres. The agency planned to construct an intake well close to the southern bund in the river to provide unending supply of water to the pumpsets. The IDC officials considered the pond as a reliable source to supply water even in the period of lean flow in the river. A long pipeline across the river bed was planned, to reach out to the pond from the other side of the river bund.
The Kurnool farmers objected to the proposal on the ground that the natural pond, known as Devamma Madugu, served as a major source of water for residents of the three villages in Kurnool district even though the river bed dried up. If the pond was diverted to the irrigation scheme, they would be put to serious hardships.
Complaint lodged
Kurnool farmers lodged a complaint with the police and irrigation officials to stop the works. The irrigation officials visited the place on Wednesday to apprise the higher ups.
Meanwhile, Mahabubnagar farmers complained that the river bed was often going dry below Sunkesesula reservoir due to closure of the vent and this forced them to look for ponds.
