Defunct tanks across Telangana state to see revival

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said tanks dating back to the Kakatiya, Asaf Jahi period and defunct ones across Telangana should be revived and recharged in five years. “It’s unfortunate that many irrigation tanks have become defunct and are lying in neglect.

We have taken a policy decision to revive and recharge all the minor tanks for irrigation and drinking water purposes, including those in Hyderabad and HMDA,” the Chief Minister said.

“Earlier, irrigation tanks provided irrigation facilities for upto 20 to 25 lakh acre, but it has dropped to 8-10 lakh acre. We will strive to bring back the lost glory of the minor tanks,” he added.

Promising to give a major boost to the minor irrigation sector in the state, Mr Rao said up to Rs 70,000 crore would be spent on irrigation in the coming five years.

He, however, said that the engineers would have to play an active role in implementing the plans of the government and warned that his government would not tolerate any negligence in this regard.

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao assured that funds would not come in the way of restoration and development of minor tanks and wells and asked the officials to meet the targets set by the Chief Minister. This initiative is being carried out to revive chain-link of tanks in the state.