Farmers losing crores of rupees in crops due to unavailability of water
Picture for representational purpose
Khammam: The two-year delay in completing the Nagarjun-asagar Project left canal is a cause for concern to farmers in the district. Due to the delay in completing the modernisation work, the farmers in tail-end areas have not been getting water from the left canal, thus losing crores of rupees in crops.
According to one estimate, nearly 40,000 acres have not been receiving sufficient water due to the modernisation of the canal being delayed and about 300 cusecs of water going waste every year.The issue was also raised in the Grievance Day conducted by district collector K. Ilambarithi on Monday. Though the canal modernisation project, at a cost of Rs4,444 crore began in 2008, it has been dragging on, beyond the four year original deadline and the extended period of another two years that was permitted by the World Bank.
The extended deadline expired on August 29, following which the officials wrote to the World Bank, requesting extension, this time by one year. As per the agreement, the government has to complete the modernisation of the canals, including the main canal, distributor canals and the channels being run by Water Users Associations. Nadella Satya Prasad, a farmer from Konigerla said that not only farmers, but also the state exchequer, are losing out due to the failure of the officials to complete the modernisation work.
“The bunds in various places are very weak and can breach any time after the water for the second zone is released,” he said.
About 65 per cent of the work had been completed on main canal and only 50 per cent on distributor canals. An NSP engineer, on condition of anonymity, said that the previous officials had given contracts to the companies that have insufficient experience.
( Source : dc correspondent )
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