Even after 122 years, the anicut is still in use...
The Sadarmat anicut, a 122-year-old structure across Godavari near Khanapur mandal headquarter in Adilabad irrigates more land than some of the costlier and larger projects constructed in recent times in the district.
It has survived the onslaught of time only because of its size which, being smaller is suited to the needs of farmers in this district, in the opinion of experts.
The anicut was constructed across one branch of the mighty Godavari which splits at the place, by Irrigation Engineer J.J. Ottley in 1891-92 when Khanapur had its first Taluqdar in C.E. Wilkinson and Nawab Ikbal-ud-Dowla, who went by the title of Vicar-ul-Umra Bahadoor, was the Prime Minister of Hyderabad. It currently irrigates over 6,000 acres through its nearly 13 km long Khanapur left flank canal and 800 acres through the 3 km long Badankurti right flank canal.
The ayacut of Sadarmat is better than that of the Satnala medium irrigation project located in Jainad mandal and other projects which are yet to attain completion as per their design. The fabulous 36, 926 sq miles of the catchment area of the anicut has been intercepted by the huge Sriramsagar Project in Nizamabad rendering it a seasonal irrigation project.
The length of the anicut on the left side is 1,435 ft and only 78 ft on the right side and the maximum flood discharge is a heavy 7.76 lakh cusecs. The crest level at left flank is 789.50 ft and that at the right flak is 792.50 ft having 8 vents and four vents of varying sizes respectively.
The anicut continues to be in use mainly because it is free of siltation, the scourge of large sized projects. The two scouring vents each on the left and right sluices are in operational shape unlike those in the big projects which could eventually be the fate of the anicut if it is converted into a barrage as per a proposal.
For example, silt deposit has eaten up 2.9 tmc of the 7.6 tmc storage capacity of Kadem project and about 26 tmc of the 106 tmc storage capacity of the SRSP. The scouring gates of both the project are submerged under under silt according to sources.
The rainfall of the last fortnight has revived Sadarmat bringing cheer to the farmers under its ayacut. There is much to cheer for local fisherman community too as the anicut is a prime source of their livelihood.
