Tirupati: All tanks, reservoirs brimming with inflows

Tirupati: Recent rains in the district due to low pressure in Bay of Bengal turned boon to the farming sector with the about 50 per cent of village tanks and all the reservoirs brimming with huge inflow of waters.

According to official sources, there are 7,653 village tanks and 7 reservoirs in the district of which 2,600 are brimming with water and 1,600 are filled with 75 per cent water whereas 1,700 tanks received 50 per cent of water from upper reaches while about 1,450 received 25 per cent of water against their actual capacity.

All most all the tanks including Chowdepalli where 314 tanks are located which is highest in the district following Sadum 296, Peddapanjani 282, Punganur 229, Kambavaripalli 218, Yarravaipalem 245 were also brimming with water.

The district has 7 reservoirs of which 5 are medium and 2 are minor irrigation where water level crossed the danged mark.

The tanks and reservoirs are also attracting visitors in the district.

Farmers saying that though the recent rains caused for crop damage in eastern mandals but the water levels in the tanks hinting that there would not be any problem for water in the coming two or three years.

A farmer Narendra from Pounganur said the Pungamma Cheruvu in the town was full of water and overflowing after 21 years which is a good sign for the farming sector of this area.

Another farmer Venkatarami Reddy, who is also working as a lecturer in private college from Adapareddypalli under Tirupati Rural, said the present climate due to rains was not good for horticulture crops particularly mango crop as the air has excess of moisture content.

"Though loss for present standing crops like Paddy, Sugar Cane, Groundnut etc. but the water reached to the tanks helps in recharging bore wells and more useful for cattle rearing', he told.

A farmer Rupsundar Naidu from Nettakuppam village of Ramachandrapuram mandal said the untimely rains may have caused bitter experience to the farmers at present but there would not be any problem for water even after three years for cultivation.

Agriculture Joint Director S Dorasani said the huge inflows of water due to recent rains in tanks and reservoirs would be useful for recharging groundwater level in future.

She admitted though the recent rains have damaged some crops in some mandals, the water in the tanks would be highly beneficial for the crops in rabi season.