Telangana Government Concedes Farmers Demand

Devarakadra (Mahbubnagar): Responding to the agitation of farmers of Koilsagar ayacut, the State government has started releasing water to the right and left canals to save the standing crops. The farmers who agitated for a month demanding the release of water to Koilsagar ayacut for irrigation and drinking needs of livestock, hailed the government’s decision.

Devarkadra MLA Alla Venkateshwar Reddy and Koilsagar dam officials released the water to the right and left canals on Friday. According to the irrigation officials, Mahbubnagar town needs one million litres per day (MLD) for its drinking needs. At present, there is 200 MLD water in the dam.

After keeping 120 MLD in the dam for drinking needs of Mahbubnagar town for four months, the remaining water is being released to the Koilsagar ayacut at the rate of 90 cusecs into the right canal and 30 cusecs into the left canal for four days, which helps save the standing crops. The total extent of ayacut is 5,000 acres spread over Devarkadra, Dhanwada and Chinna Chintakunta mandals.

Speaking on the occasion, the MLA said the government released the water to protect the interests of Koilsagar ayacut farmers. He urged them to utilise the water in an optimum manner to save their standing crops, besides meeting the drinking needs of livestock.

Welcoming the release of water, Koilsagar Ayacut Farmers Association president Umamaheswar Reddy said if the TRS government took a decision in this regard a fortnight ago responding to the agitation of farmers, standing crops worth crores of rupees could be protected. A political analyst observed that the TRS government released water to the Koilsagar ayacut sensing that the opposition parties might back the farmers’ agitation to gain mileage.