ANANTAPUR: Farmers under the the Tungabhadra high level canal area seem to be worried with the ‘off and on’ system of water supply by the Tungabhadra Board. Irrigation officials are worried about the possibility of some Katnataka farmers resorting to piping for water released from main canal up to AP state borders. Karnataka government began implementing the off and on system for its jurisdiction with a schedule of 15 days since Monday.
Following the decision by the Karnataka authorities, the district irrigation wing brought the issue to the notice of local minister Kalava Srinivasulu and other representatives. The irrigation authorities are chalking out plan for proper usage of the allocated water to avoid water piping by Karnataka farmers
“We are discussing with the farmers and agriculture department if water could be released for agriculture needs in two spells each of seven days or continuously 15 days of drawing water under the system,” the High Level Main Canal superintendent engineer Surendra Reddy observed.
Officials opined that drawing of water in two spells would be benefitted to the crops instead of single take of 15 days which would result wastage of water into fields. The irrigation authorities were planning to organise meeting the ayacut farmers under Tungabhadra High Level Main Canal at Kanekal, Bommanhal and other parts of district along with agriculture officials. As the system introduced few months ago with unwillingness of state government over heavy distribution loses from zero milestone of the TB reservoir till AP borders, the ‘off and on’ system is continued by the board.
Presently, Tungabhadra reservoir has 49 tmc ft with inflows of about 5 thousand cusecs and out flow of 7,263 cusecs. The reservoir has water level of 49 tmc ft this year as against just 9.29 tmc ft during last year.
