Hyderabad: After nine months, water from the Kaleshwaram project is being pumped to help farmers during the ongoing kharif season.
The state irrigation department is drawing water from the Yellampalli project and lifting it from the Nandi Medaram pump house. Previously, there was a dispute between the Government and the opposition over supplying water for agriculture from Kaleshwaram.
On the first day, engineers operated two motors at Medaram. By Sunday morning, another two motors will be used to lift 12,000 cusecs of water to Mid Manair with four pumps. The water from Medaram will reach the Lakshmipur pump house and then travel to Mid Manair via a local canal.
Preparations are being made to fill the Anantagiri, Kondapochammma Sagar, and Mallanna Sagar reservoirs to meet the irrigation needs during this farming season. Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy has instructed officials to deploy a team of engineers at the pump houses to ensure the water is lifted without any technical issues.
Officials have also been directed to monitor the inflows at Medigadda, Annaram, and Sundilla barrages, which have been opened to allow the free flow of water and prevent further damage. Based on recommendations from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDSA), the state government stopped lifting water from the three damaged barrages and decided to use water from Yellampalli instead. The Kaleshwaram project had been idle for the past nine months due to the stoppage at the three barrages.
Since it is farming season, special arrangements were made to lift water from Yellampalli without affecting the damaged structures of the three barrages. Currently, water levels at Yellampalli are at 17.37 tmc feet out of a total capacity of 20.18 tmc feet. All gates at Yellampalli will be lifted when water reaches optimum levels due to heavy inflows from the Kadem project.
The Irrigation Minister highlighted that the Yellampalli project, constructed by the Congress government, is supporting the farmers of the Godavari delta this agriculture season. In contrast, the three barrages built during the previous BRS regime are not in use during this crucial time.
