While common people in Adilabad crave for every drop of water, especially during summer months, the political leadership seems to ignore its importance and value for both man and animal. At least 0.5 tmcf of water stored in the Kajjerla tank, some 10 km from Adilabad town, is being drained off just to facilitate fishing but will deprive the cattle of drinking water.
“Water is being released into the canal to Khodad village from Kajjerla, both in Talamadugu mandal, since the last five days though there is no use of water now in that village. The tank is being drained at the oral instructions of a top ruling party leader in order to help out another second rung leader who has interests in fishing in the tank,” disclosed a village-level Telangana Rashtra Samithi functionary on conditions of anonymity.
Only a few in Kajjeral, a village of 600 households and Khodad, a habitation with about 400 households, know that the tank is being emptied of water.
Not seen
As most of the villagers do not need to go to the tank frequently, the fact has remained hidden.
“Draining of water will expose the fish which makes it easy for the outsiders with fishing interests to land with all the catch within a short time. This has been a practice since long but this time it is rankling as the State government has spent precious money on its development,” an irrigation official pointed out.
The irrigation tank with a designed ayacut of 1,400 acres in Kajjerla and Khodad and a capacity to store 0.8 tmcf of water was constructed some 30 years back but was pretty much useless as canals were not developed.
Groundwater levels
The waterbody however, had aided in lifting up the level of groundwater which in turn aided irrigation as villagers tapped water through borewells even for drinking.
The high groundwater level helps cultivation of groundnut crop in over 1,000 acres in its command area, the highest in old united Adilabad district.
Fishery spot
The tank was also being used as a prime fishery spot since 2007 when the fishermen associations were formed in the two villages.
The local fishermen nevertheless prefer being paid on piece meal basis by outside ‘contractors’ if villagers are to be believed.
