Prakasam farmers demand rightful share in NSP Right Canal water

Ongole: The farmers' leaders from Prakasam district are demanding the government to do justice to them by releasing the rightful share of water from the right canal of Nagarjuna Sagar Project and make sure that the last fields under the canal get water in time.

According to Irrigation officials, there is a need for 48.35 TMC feet of water for irrigation, 14 TMC feet of water for drinking in the Prakasam district. They submitted to the government to release 72 TMC feet of water, including the 9.65 TMC feet evaporation and other losses to meet the needs of the farmers and the people.

However, the Collector informed that the government will release only 52 TMC feet of water to the right canal from Nagarjuna Sagar Project from September 1.

He added that the water will be supplied for the 185046 acres of wetlands and 2,49,283 acres of dry land being irrigated in the district, along with the 222 drinking water tanks and six summer storage tanks in 25 mandals under Darsi, Ongole and Addanki branch canals.

He said that the water will be supplied continuously for five days giving breaks of six days up to March.

The Prakasam district convenor of the All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee and Samyukt Kisan Morcha, Chunduri Rangarao said that on average the district farmers require 60 TMC feet of water for irrigation needs, but the demand is never fulfilled due to the negligence of the local officials and public representatives. He said that the officials are not conducting the command area development authority meeting even after repeated requests, and failed to conduct the discussion on the agriculture issues and irrigation water demand in the district.

He alleged that the government is not considering the rough estimations from the officials and not allocating water to the needs of the farmers. He demanded that the officials should make sure that at least 60 TMC feet of water is supplied to the district and the required water flow in cusecs is maintained to see the last lands also get enough water.

Chavali Sudhakar, another leader of farmers said that the government failed in the operation and maintenance of the right canal. He said that there is no proper mechanism in place to see the farthest lands get enough water. He said that the right canal is the source of water to Guntur and Prakasam district from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project, but the inefficiency of the Prakasam officials and public representatives are giving an upper hand to the Guntur people, who take away maximum water.

He said that the politicians are also mingled with the contractors who grow fish, allowing them first to fill their ponds than supply to the fields. He said that the officials try to maintain a guard for two days after complaints, but not trying to provide a permanent solution to supervise the water flow. The farmers leaders demanded the government to conduct the command area development authority meeting immediately to hear their concerns, allocate water as per the share and see that all last and drylands receive enough water for the crops.