Date:07/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/07/stories/2005050713070300.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Others

BJP cries foul over Jurala water for Kurnool

Correspondent

Water being drawn illegally to KMC pumphouse: BJP

MAHABUBNAGAR: A team of Bharatiya Janata Party has alleged that Jurala water is being drawn through Panchalingala Vagu illegally to pumphouse of Kurnool Municipal Corporation (KMC) to cater to drinking water needs of Kurnool town depriving over 15 villages in Alampoor mandal of drinking water. +

The team, comprising the former MP, Jitender Reddy, the Alampoor segment incharge, Yadagiri Reddy, Bheema reddy, Borelli Satya Reddy and Nagarjuna Reddy, on Thursday visited the spot from where Jurala water was being drawn.

A one-and-a-half km long approach canal from Panchalingala Vagu to Tungabhadra riverbed was dug up to draw water released from the Jurala project to RDS canals.

Villagers of Bukkapuram, Kyathoor, Bheemvaram, Utkoor, Bhyravanipally, Baswapuram, Keshavapuram, Singavaram, Gondimalla and Alampoor raised objections over diversion of water from 37B distributary to the vagu in Praja Patham meetings addressed by the Alampoor MLA, Challa Venkatram Reddy.

Villagers argued with the MLA that over 4,000 acres of ayacut under distributary 40, 15 acres under distributary 39 and over 3,500 acres under distributary 38 was affected due to the diversion. Also, drinking water needs of these villagers were hit as they fall under the three distributary canals.

Mr. Jitender Reddy said measures should be taken to stop diversion of Jurala water and closure of the approach channel.

He alleged that Kurnool farmers were drawing RDS water allocated by the Krishna Water Dispute Tribunal (KWDT) to Mahabubnagar illegally from the construction sluices kept open at RDS ayacut.