Govt. fixes minimum levels in Srisailam, Nagarjunasagar

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, NOV. 17. In a major policy decision, the Government has announced a new schedule under which minimum storages will be maintained hereafter in its two major projects based on the Krishna river -- Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar -- at 834 ft and 510 ft respectively, as against their full level at 885 ft and 590 ft for the next year even after utilisation during the kharif and rabi seasons in any given crop year.

The idea is to offset the Alamatti impact and the possible rainfall deficits in the Krishna catchment area and thus prevent the postponement of agricultural operations by a month or two as is happening now,

Maintenance of these levels will ensure a carryforward storage of about 40 tmcft for the next year by which it will be possible to release water as usual to the Buckingham, Bandar, Eluru and Ryves canals serving the Krishna delta originating from Prakasam Barrage in Vijayawada, the Right and Left bank canals from Nagarjunasagar and the network under the Srisailam project, including Telugu Ganga canal.

Announcing these decisions at a press conference here on Saturday after a review of the issue, the Major Irrigation Minister, Mr. Mandava Venkateswaa Rao, said a decision was taken to release waters into the delta canal system from June 15 hereafter and from July into the Right and Left bank canals of Nagarjunasagar.

Mr Rao said there was rainfall deficit this year apart from the Alamatti impact due to which inflows reached Srisailam late, affecting agricultural operations. However, the project gained about 485 tmcft of inflows later following which the entire ayacut of 33 lakh acres under the delta (12.8 lakh acres), Right- Left bank canals (11.18 lakh acres and 9.5 lakh acres) and the Srisailam network was covered with irrigation by now. This was possible in spite of the aforesaid factors because of the ``regulated and sparing utilisation'' by farmers under the ``new sense'' instilled among them by Water Users' Associations.

By such methods, about 30 tmcft of water was saved, the Minister said, announcing that this would be utilised for the 2.7 lakh acres of second crop in the delta spread over Krishna and Guntur districts. Releases for this ayacut would be made from December 16 to April 15. The Minister ruled out irrigation for the second crop this year under the Right and Left Bank canals for this year.

According to him, about 30 tmfct was saved for the delta second crop through regulated supply, etc, with only 120 tmcft being utilised so far against the total allotment of 180 tmcft. Also, the utilisation this year under the Right and Left cank canals was only 140 tmcft each against their usual quantum of 160-170 tmcft.

Mr. Venkateswara Rao appealed to the farmers to extend cooperation in implementing frugal use of water through ``participatory irrigation'' management techniques under Water Users' Associations and thus help the Government achieve additional ayacut during kharif and assured benefit to crop during rabi.

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