El Niño, Poor Rainfall Affect Lakhs of Borewells in Rayalaseema
As the HNSS canal is largely lined and designed to fill designated tanks up to Kuppam, its contribution to groundwater recharge remains limited, except during periods of heavy rainfall.
Anantapur:More than seven lakh borewells across AP’s Rayalaseema, the region's primary source of water for agriculture, industry, and domestic use, have come under stress due to poor rainfall following the El Nino impact.
This has raised concerns over groundwater recharge this season. Despite the supply of Krishna water through the 554-km Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) canal and the 130-km Tungabhadra High Level Main Canal up to the Penna Ahobilam Reservoir, large parts of Rayalaseema continue to depend on seasonal rainfall to replenish the groundwater levels. Officials estimate that the region requires around 600 TMC feet of rainwater annually to adequately recharge groundwater aquifers that support extensive borewell usage.
As the HNSS canal is largely lined and designed to fill designated tanks up to Kuppam, its contribution to groundwater recharge remains limited, except during periods of heavy rainfall. Groundwater department deputy director B. Gangadhar said Anantapur district alone has more than 2.20 lakh borewells, which require nearly 180 TMC feet of rainwater every season for effective recharge. He said inadequate rainfall would have a direct impact on the groundwater availability. Anantapur, one of the country’s lowest rainfall regions after Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, has witnessed extensive dependence on borewells to sustain orchards, including arecanut, sweet orange, pomegranate, and mango. Farmers say the situation has worsened this year due to deficient rainfall. A farmer in Amarapuram mandal reportedly drilled eight borewells in five acres to save a 50-year-old arecanut plantation. Former minister and AICC member N. Raghuveera Reddy is also reported to have drilled five borewells to protect mango and arecanut orchards at Neelakantapuram in Madakasira mandal.
Groundwater experts said timely and widespread rainfall remains the only effective means of recharging aquifers, as canal water has limited impact on groundwater levels. They underlined that Kambadur mandal has received no rainfall in June, affecting recharge of borewells. According to groundwater data, the deepest dynamic water table in Guntakal division is at 65.30 metres at Nagaruru village in Yadiki mandal. In Kalyandurg division, the deepest level is 56.40 metres at Cherlopalli village in Setturu mandal, while the shallowest is 1.28 metres at Gummagatta mandal. Significantly, a groundnut farmer from Gowkanapet in N.P. Kunta mandal of Sri Sathya Sai district died by suicide after his crop withered due to depletion of groundwater. According to local sources, R. Venkatesh had cultivated groundnut on 8.5 acres using water from two borewells, both of which dried up