Ryots agitate for Singur water

Long dry spell is damaging standing paddy crop

The near dead storage water level in Nizamsagar project.File photo

Demand for the release of water from the Singur balancing reservoir in Medak district to Nizamsagar Project (NSP) in Kamareddy district is gathering momentum with farmers agitating on the issue in view of the long dry spell and damage to standing paddy crop on the ayacut.

Farmers are agitating in different forms by staging dharnas, rasta rokos and bike rallies. They staged rasta roko in Bodhan a couple of days ago and under the banner of Congress, took out motorbike rally in Rudrur, Kotagiri and Varni mandals on Sunday. They are worried about the withering of crops and the inordinate delay in release of Singur water.

Almost dead storage level in the NSP and also fast depletion of ground water level forced them to insist on the immediate release of water from Singur as it is the only ray of hope to protect crops, particularly paddy.

Any further delay in taking the decision would cause heavy damage to crops and loss to farmers. As of now, in Singur ,17 tmcft of water is available and at least 8 tmcft must be released forthwith if government is sincere on the issue, said DCC president Taher Bin Hamdan.

Reacting to the deteriorating crop condition under the NSP, the Congress leader accused Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao of diverting Singur water to old Medak at the cost of the farmers in Kamareddy and Nizamabad districts.

Mr. Hamdan wanted to know as to how an additional 40,000 acre ayacut was added to the existing ayacut without rain and water in Medak.

In fact, a few days ago, Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy while touring his Banswada constituency requested Harish Rao to take a decision on immediate release of water from Singur. The minister had assured that he would bring the issue to the notice of Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.

According to Joint Collector A. Ravinder Reddy, a decision over releasing water from Singur to NSP ayacut has to be taken at the government level and the administration is also worried about the continuing long dry spell. He expressed the hope that the demand would be met soon.