The barrage construction works taken up across the Penna river in the city limits are expected to be completed by February as the recent rains have led to further delay in the overall execution of works.
A modern barrage with upgraded facilities to release waters into the irrigation canals has been a long-pending demand of the local farmers who are growing paddy and others crops in the Penna delta region here for decades.
The works at the Sangam barrage in Atmakur area have also been speeded up and these works are expected to be completed in three to four months.
ADVERTISEMENT
Both the barrages are considered crucial for meeting the optimum irrigation requirements of the paddy farmers, who have been facing water shortage for the past couple of years on account of dry spells.
The irrigation department officials have been under pressure to make sure that the projects are completed as early as possible.
Overall, paddy crop in over 6 lakh acres will be given a fillip once these project works are completed.
ADVERTISEMENT
Water release
Against this backdrop, the officials have decided to release considerable waters from the Somasila dam to the Kandaleru reservoir so that this would help solve the problems of farmers in Podalakuru area.
If additional waters are released into Kandaleru, this will enable release of waters through lift schemes for meeting irrigation requirements in over 26,000 acres in Podalakuru area.
Though the inflows have come down a little in the past few days, the Somasila dam storage has gone up to 50.8 tmcft.
The storage in Kandaleru dam is about 17.6 tmcft as on Friday.