The Hindu : Irrigation: Four districts face threat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jun 09, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Irrigation: Four districts face threat

By B. Chandrashekhar

ANANTAPUR JUNE 8. The politicisation of the Paragodu issue by the ruling TDP and the Congress has completely overshadowed the much larger threat being posed to the State's interests by Karnataka's successful campaign in getting the Central Water Commission clearance recently for the new Upper Tunga project in Shimoga district.

The negligence of the State Government over the irrigation projects taken up by Karnataka, harming the interests of Andhra Pradesh, has ultimately resulted in another severe blow to Rayalaseema.

The new Upper Tunga project will have severe impact on irrigation systems in Anantapur, Kurnool, Cuddapah and Mahabubnagar districts, based on the Tungabhadra river.

According to official sources, construction work on the new Upper Tunga project is progressing at a brisk pace after getting the CWC nod a few months ago.

The CWC had rejected Karnataka's plea for clearance twice earlier due to the objections raised by Andhra Pradesh and lack of environmental clearance.

With the CWC clearance for the new Upper Tunga project, Karnataka is now all set to hit the availability of water further to irrigation systems in A.P. under the Tungabhadra project.

Besides, it will also curtail flood discharges from the Tungabhadra reservoir badly, which will supplement the flows in the Krishna river benefiting the Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar projects.

Claimed as a replacement to the existing anicut, the new Upper Tunga project taken up by Karnataka near Gajanur in Shimoga district has been designed to fix 22 crest gates of 4.75 metres height each above the level of the existing anicut. Work on the new project began in 1997 about 100 metres downstream of the existing dam.

Taken up with an estimated Rs. 1,000 crores, the Karnataka Government is learnt to be planning to complete the project by the year-end.

Against the existing ayacut of 71,000 acres, the new project has been designed to serve an ayacut of 2.37 lakh acres.

The left bank canal of the project with 340-km length has been designed to discharge 2,500 cusecs.

According to the data made available by the Tungabhadra Board, the inter-State Tungabhadra project at Hospet in Bellary district had received more than its original storage capacity of 220 tmcft in 43 out of the last 50 years from 1952-53. The quantity of surplus water, flood discharges from the reservoir, had ranged between 35 tmcft and 300 tmcft in 17 out of the last 25 years.

While the Bachawat Tribunal had awarded the existing Upper Tunga anicut 11.5 tmcft, Karnataka has designed the new project to utilise about 40 tmcft.

As a result, the inflows into the Tungabhadra reservoir and its flood discharges are likely to be hit badly.

The Tunga river contributes 90 per cent and Bhadra 10 per cent of the water in the Tungabhadra river.

The impact of the new Upper Tunga project will be a death blow in the lean years like last year.

There is an ayacut of about 7 lakh acres under four canal systems — Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, KC Canal, High Level Canal and Low Level Canal — of the Tungabhadra in Andhra Pradesh.

The Minister for Information and Public Relations, S. Chandramohan Reddy, said at a protest meeting on Paragodu two days ago that the State Government would move the Supreme Court on the Upper Tunga project, irrespective of Karnataka getting the CWC clearance for it recently.

It is to be seen whether such a move will protect the interests of Rayalaseema.

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