Kakinada: The El Niño impact has hit the Yeleru reservoir project as the dam could not be filled up to its capacity due to a lack of rain.
Agriculture officials have suggested farmers opt for alternative crops instead of paddy this time in view of the water scarcity. However, a majority of the farmers have evinced interest in having paddy crops.
Notably, the ayacut under the project spreads over 60,000 acres. The first preference for the project is supplying water for drinking purposes to Visakhapatnam city, the steel plant and the locals in that order.
According to the officials, the project is fully dependent upon the rainwater flow from the upstream rivulets and the Pushkara and Purushothapatnam lift irrigation projects. But due to a lack of rain, sufficient water has not reached the dam.
Project executive engineer Syam Prasad said 8.65tmc of water, including for dead-storage, is present in the dam. Out of this, 420 cusecs was released to the left and right canals for drinking water purposes.
If water comes from upstream rivulets, the project can be filled up, he felt.
However, agriculture officials cautioned the farmers not to waste their time for usual crops. Instead, the government is supplying 32 varieties of pulses and vegetables which can yield produce within 60 days.
Even if the farmers get the water and go for paddy nurseries, it will take nearly 40 days to complete the transplantation. Meanwhile, the pulses and alternative crops can yield returns to the farmers.
Former Pithapuram MLA, SVSN Varma, assured the farmers under Yeleru reservoir ayacut to go for kharif without any confusion, as the chief minister can help them with waters to the project.
He said the Godavari water levels have increased. The Purushothapatnam lift irrigation scheme pumps would be made functional, and the water could be lifted to the Yeleru dam soon. “The same situation arose during the 2014-19 term when the Telugu Desam was in power, which had aimed at standardising one lakh acres of crop,” he said.
He added, “Then Chandrababu constructed the Purushothapatnam LIS and provided water to the Yeleru reservoir. A similar decision can be taken by the CM now and supply water.”
However, he expressed doubts whether this is possible for the Rabi season. “During 2019-24, the YSRC government had kept the Purushothapatnam LIS aside and the farmers were wronged. Now, farmers need not worry about water for their agricultural operations,” he said.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: deccanchronicle.com
