Pattiseema, Pulichintala save delta farmers

It would have been yet another cropless year for the farmers of Krishna delta. The completion of the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme and the availability of Pulichintala Project water, however, saved farmers in four districts this kharif.

Farmers were able to sow crop in 10,74,907 acres out of the total ayacut of 13,07,882 acres in the Krishna delta in kharif. The area normally sown is 11,35,900 acres.

Adding the 1,51,912 acres in which aquaculture was taken up in Krishna district, water was provided for agriculture and aquaculture in 12,26,819 acres till November 17, according to Irrigation Department logs.

While less than 20 tmcft was released from Nagarjuna Sagar for the Krishna delta this year, water discharged into the Krishna river below the reservoir provided succour to the delta farmers.

First time

The 45 tmcft diverted to the Krishna basin from the Godavari basin by the Pattiseema LI Scheme provided water to the farmers at the crucial time of transplantation and grain formation. Transfer of such a large quantity of water from one basin to another was being done for the first time.

The drastic reduction in arrival from the upper reaches of the Krishna river was predicted the instant Maharashtra and Karnataka began increasing the number of new projects.

In the light of completing the Pattiseema Project, the Andhra Pradesh Government decided to release water to Rayalaseema through the Potireddipadu Regulator and also the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanti (HNSS) Lift Irrigation scheme from Srisailam which received some water.

Putting together the water from Pattiseema and that received in the catchment below Nagarjuna Sagar the Irrigation circle supplied 96.98 tmcft for the irrigation of crop sown in 10.75 lakh acres and the cultivation of aquatic animals in 1.52 lakh acres.