Cultivate irrigated dry crops in NS right canal ayacut

Guntur: There is no water for cultivating paddy in Nagarjuna Sagar right canal ayacut area of over 6.75 lakh acres in Guntur, Palnadu and Prakasam districts, due to lack of inflows from the upstream of Nagarjuna Sagar project. Deficit rainfall in the upstream of Nagarjuna Sagar and Srisailam projects is also one of the reasons for the low inflows into Nagarjuna Sagar. Available water in the reservoir will be used for drinking water purposes and no water for cultivating the paddy.

Taking the situation into consideration, the Agriculture Advisory Board meeting directed the farmers to cultivate irrigated dry crops instead of paddy, as a precautionary measure. Farmers are making necessary arrangements to cultivate irrigated dry crops following the advice given by the officials.

According to the Irrigation department official sources, 137 TMCs water was allotted from Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir, but there is no sufficient water. At present, water level in Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir is 1547.23 TMCs, 82.96 TMCs in Srisailam and 38.55 TMCs feet level water is available in Pulichintala Project.

Meanwhile, the government is releasing water for cultivating crops in Krishna western delta from Pulichintala and Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Projects.

Minister for Water Resources Ambati Rambabu suggested farmers to cultivate irrigated dry crops in NS right canal ayacut area instead of paddy due to non-availability of water. If water level in Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir increases, the government will release the water for cultivating the paddy, he said.