Tirupati: Work to strengthen village tanks in Tirupati irrigation division may not give the expected results in supplying water to the farmers. Though the tanks are ready, there is no water source except seasonal rain. Depending on rains, the state government has been spending Rs 25 crore for the village tank work.
Actually, the government expected to ready the tanks before the monsoon to store the water which would be useful for farming and recharging the borewells located near the tanks. The government sanctioned Rs 25 crore for strengthening the water bodies located in 19 mandals in the district. The dream of the government remained a dream because there are no supply channels to most of the tanks.
One of the senior engineers in the irrigation department on condition of anonymity said the government has spent money on water bodies only to benefit the contractors and this work will not be useful to the public.
The irrigation department which had taken up all the 573 works in 1,253 village tanks in Tirupati division will complete them within one month. The work includes desiltation of tanks and supply channels, construction of revetment to the tanks and other repair works.
Though the irrigation officials complete the work within stipulated time, it would not be of any use to the farmers for cultivation, said many farmers in villages including Karveti Nag-aram, Narayanavanam and other areas. They are demanding to complete the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanti (HNSS) project at the earliest which only can give sufficient water to them for cultivation and drinking.
Mangati Gopal Reddy who has been championing for their problems for a long time accused the government which initiated tank work only to benefit ruling party sympathisers.
“Farmers in many mandals including Vada-malapeta, Vedurukupp-am, Ramapuram, Chandragiri, Puttur and other areas were forced to have a distress sale of their cattle due to lack of water in borewells to cultivate grass for their cattle,” he said.
