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Tirupati: Water for irrigation still eludes Kuppam farmers
A farmer digging a borewell in Kuppam constituency
- There is no progress in the Handri Neeva Suajala Sravanthi branch canal works
- Farmers have spent around Rs 10 crore to dig bore wells in Shantipuram mandal alone which have failed
- Due to depleted ground water levels, most of the borewells in all the four mandals of the constituency have failed resulting in heavy losses and debts to farmers
Tirupati: Once again, the issue relating to irrigation water supply to Kuppam constituency generated political heat among the ruling YSRCP and TDP leaders. It may be noted that opposition leader N Chandrababu Naidu is representing from Kuppam constituency for the 6th time.
Till date, there is no permanent irrigation water source to Kuppam constituency and hundreds of farmers have been depending on rain fall or borewells for farming.
Kuppama is a remote constituency in the state and spread in high altitude. The TDP chief charged the ruling YSRCP government that the latter has not released Rs 50 crore needed for completion of HNSS Kuppam branch canal.
In a counter move, YSRCP Kuppam in-charge Bharath criticised that the then TDP government had totally failed to complete the HNSS canal works within the scheduled period. He recently submitted a representation to the Government for completing HNSS canal works.
The then TDP government had given the HNNS Kuppam branch canal digging works to a leading company relating to a politician in 2018. The company abandoned canal digging work in the middle. Initially, the total scheme was estimated at Rs 423 crore and later enhanced to Rs 525 crore.
Now as per the assessment of Water Resource department, at least Rs 85 crore are needed for completion of this branch canal.
Farmers in four mandals - Kuppam, Ramakuppam, Shanthipuram and Gudipalli - of the constituency invested more than Rs 50 crore to dig borewells during the last two years. According to information, farmers have spent Rs 10 for digging several borewells in Shanthipuram mandal.
Most of the bore wells failed and there was no water in those bores and as result, many farmers incurred heavy losses. In the absence of water for irrigation, farmers in Kuppam constituency continue to face hardships. Even though farmers dig the borewells up to 1,800 feet depth water was not available.
Already we had lost lakhs of rupees as investment on failed bore wells and we are left with heavy debts, said a farmer R Sivappa of Shanthipurma village in Kuppam constituency.
