Khammam ryots rejoice as water from NSP released

Khammam: The heavy inflows into the Nagarjunasagar canal has raised the hopes of Khammam farmers to save their standing Kharif crops.

The farmers in the district took up paddy cultivation in about 50,000 hectares of the 2.5 lakh hectares present under second zone by depending on borewells.

While the other crops cultivated in thousands of hectares in Kalloor, Thallada, Madhira, Yerrupalem and Penuballi mandal areas were at drying stage as the water could not be released from Nagarjunasagar and with prolonged dry spells in Kharif especially between July and September, few spells in the last week benefitted the standing crop. Fortunately, the crops are at harvesting stage at present and are in dire need of water.

However, the farmers of Kalloor, who were worrying that their crops might wither if water was not provided in time, recently called on Roads and Buildings Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao and requested for the release of water.

After the R&B Minister’s intervention and with huge amounts of water available, the officials released 1,000 cusecs of water for left canal from Palair reservoir to save the crops cultivated in about 12,000 acres in the left canal ayacut area.

Earlier, the officials had sent proposals appealing the Krishna River Management Board for release of 5 tmcft of water for saving the crops in Khammam.

They planned to fill the Palair reservoir with the water that would be released from Nagarjunasagar canal. At present, the water level in Palair is 19 feet against its full capacity of 23 feet.

Monitoring in-charge and Executive Engineer of Nagarjunasagar canal M Venkateshwarlu said, “All the necessary steps are taken for release of water from Nagarjunasagar canal.”

The official added that due to several works that were carried out in the past, the left canal was blocked with silt. “Removal of silt, closing of shutters at regulators, applying grease and minor repairing works are taken up for free flow of water,” the official informed.

Meanwhile, the heavy inflows into the Nagarjunasagar project are raising hopes of officials and farmers for paddy cultivation in coming Rabi season.

Further, the Agriculture department is coming out with an advanced Rabi action plan to irrigate 25 lakh hectares in view of widespread rains in the last two weeks and with all irrigation projects brimming with water.