NIZAMABAD: Stalemate is continued over row of water release from Sriramsagar project, a lifeline to the north Telangana district. The state government has denied release water and tighten the security arrangements at project as well as sensitive areas. Intereststingly, water level in SRSP is reached 1062.10 feet with 16.069 tmc on Monday.
Water level on the same day last year was mere 1055.30 feet and 9.508 tmc. Farmers recalled that around 200 cusecs of water was released last year under severe shortage. Earlier, SRSP officials take decision of water release as per the local requirements. Presently, centralized decision making is led to controversy in water release, they said.
In view of escalating tension in Nizamabad district, police extended prohibitory orders from Armoor division to Nizamabad and Bodhan divisions on Monday night. To prevent the agitation of farmers demanding release of water from Sriramsagar project, police forces heavily deployed in undivided Nizamabad and Karim-nagar districts.
Police are also taking into custody of political leaders and peoples’ organizations leaders, who tried to extend their solidarity with the agitating farmers. Telangana Jana Samiti president Prof Kodandaram had taken into custody of police at Bhiknoor in Kamareddy district on Monday on NHs.
TJS chief is scheduled to visit all party leaders in Nizamabad district jail, where the latter was remanded for agitating SRSP water. Police returned Kodandaram to Hyderabad. They also returned former Government whip Eravathri Anil from his Kisannagar residence in the district.
Police had taken into custody of opposition party leaders and kept them either in police stations or remanded to jail. Following the inputs of Intelligence wing that irritate farmers could stage protest at Sriramsagar project or damage the Mission Bhagiratha pipelines in the district, police sounded high alert.
Nizamabad police commissioner, additional district magistrate Kartikeya extended prohibitory orders under section 144 to entire Nizamabad police commissionerate limits. Police forces from undivided Adilabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Mahabubnagar and other areas have been deployed in Armoor and Jagitial police divisions.
Meanwhile, water level in Sriramsagar project is reached 1062.10 feet with storage capacity of 16.069 tmc. The farmers are demanding mere 200 cusecs of water per day for one week to save their standing crops, but the state government denied it. Earmarking of 6.5 tmc water for Mission Bhagiratha trails is led to the law and order problem in the district.
Earlier, SRSP officials had discretionary powers to release the water as per the local requirements. As a result, they allowed around 200 cusecs of water as leakage into the Kakatiya canal. For last three decades, it was continued to help the farmers to cultivate crops in kharif season.
Farmers are arguing that 16.069 tmc water is more than enough for drinking water needs. There is chance for further filling of SRSP as monsoon season is not yet completed. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Chandrasekhar, a farmer of Morthad said that centralized decision of water release is ignored the ground realities. Farmers had never faced difficulty even during untied Andhra Pradesh regime, he opined.
