Jagan's government to abolish WUAs

Rajamahendravaram: The government has decided to abolish Water Users Associations (WUA) in the State and is likely to issue a GO shortly in this regard.

Whether the government will continue WUAs in other form or conduct elections to them it not yet known.

According to official sources, Telugu Desam government has introduced WUAs in 1999 and conducted elections to the associations. The TDP government entrusted the task of canal maintenance, repair of drains, canals and supply of water to the paddy fields etc to the associations.

Later, WUA system was diluted and again in 2014, the TDP after coming to power did not conduct elections to WUAs and with this, many were elected unanimously. The district is having as many as 400 WUAs. Under minor irrigation, there are 58 WUAs, 38 distribution committees and five project committees.

WUAs work under distribution committees and they work under project committees and the government also sanctions funds to them for taking up repairs to drains, canals and small drains to pave way for easy flow of water into paddy fields.

Earlier, the tenure of the committees was fixed for six years and later reduced to five years. Now the farmers are discussing about the continuation of the WUAs in the district.

One farmer M Subba Raju of Dowleswaram opined the continuation of WUA helps the farmers as the committees take care of repairs and maintenance of canals and drains.