Ayacutdars of the more than eight-decade-old Wyra medium irrigation project of the Nizam-era staged a novel stir christened ‘Rythu Haram’ by forming a human chain along the river bund at the reservoir near Wyra on Monday to press for their charter of demands including immediate release of water from the reservoir for rabi crops.
Scores of ayacutdars from Wyra, Thallada and Bonakal mandals took part in the protest demonstration held under the aegis of the Ayacut Parirakshana Committee and Telangana Rythu Sangham.
The aggrieved farmers raised slogans denouncing the alleged attempts to restrict water supply from the reservoir to the ayacut in an ‘arbitrary manner.’
They alleged that the State Government’s reported move to always maintain a specified quantum of water in the reservoir for the proposed Mission Bhagiratha water project without ensuring fixed quantum of Krishna waters to the reservoir would jeopardise their interests.
Later, they took out a rally from the reservoir site to the Irrigation Branch Engineer’s office in the mandal headquarters town, where they staged a dharna in pursuit of their demands.
Addressing the demonstrators, Ayacut Parirakshana Committee convener B. Rambabu said that the ayacutdars were facing a bleak future due to the State Government’s ‘arbitrary policies.’
Notwithstanding availability of surplus water in the Wyra Reservoir at present, the ayacutdars are being deprived of supply for full irrigation needs for about 20,000 acres under the Wyra project ayacut, he charged.
He alleged that the State Government was contemplating imposition of restrictions on the use of water for irrigation needs on the pretext of supplying drinking water to 12 mandals under the proposed ‘Mission Bhagiratha.’
The Government should first evolve a permanent mechanism to ensure adequate water in the reservoir throughout the year by allocating a fixed quantum of Krishna water from the Palair balancing reservoir, he demanded.
The Telangana Rythu Sangham mandal secretary Bodepudi Veerabhadram, the Kaulu Rythula Sangham division leader K. Hanumantha Rao, the Girijana Sangham district committee general secretary Bukya Veerabhadram and others took part in the protest.
