Korata–Chanaka Works on Fast Track After CM Revanth’s Assurance

Farmers’ hopes were revived after Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, during his visit to Adilabad on Thursday, promised to release the funds required to complete the remaining works of the barrage.

The acquisition of nearly 1,900 acres of land for canals, distributaries and the reservoir remains the major hurdle to completing the barrage. Meeting the compensation demands of oustees will require substantial financial resources.

Local farmers say that the barrage, though constructed, has brought them no benefit so far, and stress that it must be made operational at the earliest.

The project aims to irrigate 50,000 acres in the Adilabad Assembly constituency, mitigate monsoon floods and prevent crop loss in villages along the Penganga river in Jainad and Bela mandals. The barrage has a storage capacity of 0.85 TMC ft, while the Pippalkoti reservoir is expected to store 1.7 TMC ft by lifting water from the Korata–Chanaka barrage in Bheempur mandal.

Funds are needed for acquiring land from local farmers for both the reservoir and the main canal. With the Chief Minister’s assurance, farmers are now hopeful of receiving water for their crops by the coming Rabi season.

It is learnt that in-charge minister Jupally Krishna Rao and State government adviser P. Sudarshan Reddy reviewed the pending works of the barrage and sought funds from the Chief Minister. The release of funds for completing the project is expected soon.

Around 90 farmers whose lands fall under the Pippalkoti reservoir have been demanding a one-time settlement of ₹20 lakh per acre. They also want compensation to be paid as per the revised rates under the new land acquisition Act.

According to farmer Peddinti Bhumanna of Thamsi village, nearly 1,200 acres were acquired for the reservoir four years ago, of which around 200 acres were used to build the bund. Farmers who lost land for the bund were paid ₹8 lakh per acre. However, the remaining farmers are still awaiting compensation for nearly 1,000 acres and are demanding revised rates. They point out that land prices have increased significantly, with an acre now selling for around ₹20 lakh in the area.

Official sources said water will be supplied to 16,000 acres on either side of the 43-km main canal passing through Adilabad Rural, Jainad and Bela mandals in the Adilabad Assembly constituency.