Tummilla lift irrigation scheme, taken up to supplement Tungabhadra water to the unserved ayacut of Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) in Alampur and Gadwal areas of Jogulamba-Gadwal district, became partly functional on Saturday with one of the three pumps in its first phase going on stream.
After commissioning the first pump with 5.5 mw capacity on Friday following its successful dry and wet runs earlier this month, the pump was switched on by the Irrigation officials on Saturday to release water to the RDS canal. Advisor to Government on Lift Irrigation Projects K. Penta Reddy and Chief Engineer (Projects)-Mahabubnagar T. Khagender were present at the event.
Irrigation officials said foundation stone for the lift irrigation scheme works was laid by Ministers T. Harish Rao and C. Laxma Reddy in the first week of January this year. The scheme was taken up to supplement water to 55,600 acres out of the total ayacut of 87,500 acres under RDS in Alampur and Gadwal areas, as it has not been getting water beyond 5.5 tmc ft even in best of water years out of the allocation of 15.9 tmc ft since 1958.
Sluice damage
Officials stated that required flow into RDS Left Canal that runs into erstwhile Mahabubnagar district after covering 42.6 km in Raichur district of Karnataka was being denied all these years as maintaining necessary level of water at the anicut was not possible due to damaging of three out of 10 sluices by leaders Rayalaseema leaders to allow additional flow to K.C. Canal.
The Tummilla lift was sanctioned in April last year at a cost of ₹783 crore and its first phase was taken up in January this year with ₹389 crore. The first phase comprises two pumps of 5.5 mw each to pump 340 cusecs of water together and another pump with 10.5 mw capacity to pump 392 cusecs. While the first two pumps carry water to RDS canal directly, the third pump will take water to Mallammakunta tank.
Of the ₹159 crore sanctioned for the first phase so far, officials said, ₹125 crore has been spent already. The first phase works include 650 meter approach channel from the river course to pump-house, forebay, pump-house, twin pressure mains of 2.5 meter diameter for 7.8 km and delivery cisterns, the officials explained.
