Telangana irrigation projects get good inflows

Hyderabad: The projects on Krishna and Godavari rivers are set to get good inflows with heavy rains in the upper riparian states this year as against the previous years. The Telangana and AP governments are expecting the availability of water for the irrigation needs during Kharif and Rabi seasons this year. Water from river Krishna has been released from the Narayanapur dam in Karantaka and it will reach Jurala project in old Mahbubnagar district in a day or two.

Due to incessant rains in the projects catchment areas, all the reservoirs across the two rivers were already getting good inflows. Officials predicted plenty of water availability for the irrigation needs this year. Telangana Irrigation officials said that "the outflow from the spillway of Narayanpur dam is 39,000 cusecs and it takes two days to reach Jurala crossing two barrages in between." The 9.66-TMC capacity installed Jurala project was already getting 4,500 cusecs of inflows and the current water level is already 5.40 TMC. Last year, it was only 1.91 TMC.

Officials said that Srisailam and Nagarjuna Sagar dams have also beern receiving inflows from the catchment areas and the two major dams are expected to get good inflows by July end. Last year, the two projects received inflows in August due to delay in the release of water from Almatti and Narayanapur dams which are already overflowing in the current monsoon.

The Telangana government has already been preparing plans to utilise Krishna waters for the irrigation needs by shifting water to the recently constructed Bheema 2, Nettempadu and Kalwakurthy lift irrigation schemes in old Mahbubnagar and Dindi and AMRP projects in old Nalgonda districts. The inflows in the projects on river Godavari, particularly Nizamsagar, SRSP, Lower Manair and Mid Manair and Sripada Yellampally Sagar reservoirs are expected to be good when compared to the last year.

The Irrigation department has already geared up to lift the inflows to Kaleshwaram project and fill the reservoirs in advance. The recently launched Kondapochamma Sagar and Ranga Nayaka Sagar reservoirs will fulfill the irrigation needs of old Karimnagar, Medak and part of Warangal districts.

Officials said that the ongoing tussle between the two states on the construction of projects will not create any hurdles in the release of water between the two states.

Telangana has strongly protested against AP government's proposal to construct Sangameshwara lift irrigation project and the enhancement of the capacity of the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator to address the Rayalaseeema drinking and irrigation water needs. Meanwhile, the NGT has given permission to the Andhra Pradesh government to call for tenders for the Sangameswara Lift Irrigation Project but with a rider that it cannot start any construction work. It has asked experts to find out if any environmental clearances need to be obtained.