Kakinada: Water Resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu exhorted farmers to use the available water judiciously and adopt scientific water management practices in view of the El Nino phenomenon.
Ramanaidu inspected the water levels at the Pithapuram Branch Canal and the Yeleru Reservoir Canal Regulator at Samalkot as part of his two-day tour of the Kakinada district to review the preparedness of the Irrigation department in dealing with El Nino.
Officials informed the minister that the water level in Pithapuram Branch Canal (PBC) is at 7.2 feet and 486 cusecs of water is being released through the canal. They said proposals have been prepared for modernisation of the Yeleru Canal at the 2/0 regulator near Samalkot.
Ramanaidu asked said officials to take up desilting of the PBC immediately, so that water could reach the tail-end ayacut. He wanted both irrigation and revenue officials to work in close coordination to prevent any disruption in water supply to farmers.
The minister advised farmers in upland areas of the Godavari delta to give priority to dry crops that require less water. He wanted officials to go by the advice of Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan and address farmers’ irrigation-related grievances promptly.
Those who accompanied the minister included engineer-in-chief Narasimha Murthy, Irrigation Board adviser M. Venkateswara Rao, DCCB chairman Tummala Ramaswamy, Yeleru project vice chairman Kota Nani Babu, chief engineer Chinnarao, executive engineer Ramakrishna, and G. Seshagiri.
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