Anantapur: The Tungabhadra Board is releasing water to AP on an 'off and on' basis though irrigation authorities had expressed their unwillingness as it would spell disaster for the areas downstream .
Water resources minister Devineni Umamaheswar Rao suggested that the irrigation engineers store water at Kanekal branch canal in the border to avoid distribution losses through the newly introduced ‘On & Off’ system. Tungabhadra High Left Canal Stage superintendent engineer Seshagiri Rao observed that the continuous release of water would benefit the districts.
“The Rural Water supply department should prepare a proper indent to share water to different parts of Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa to avoid drinking water problem,” the minister said.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Rao assured MLAs, MPs and MLCs of Anantapur, Kadapa and Kurnool districts that the government was committed to allocate adequate drinking water sources equally to all parts of the region.
The minister informed that pumps were being prepared to supply water from Muchumarri in Srisailam back waters towards Kadapa district. When Kadapa MLC B.Tech Ravi demanded more water be released for Kadapa, the minister said that about 6 tmc ft was allocated to Kadapa last year while the authorities planned to release 12 tmc ft this year.
Anantapur MP J.C. Diwakar Reddy pointed out that Tadipathri had 30,000 acres of ayacut under Tadipathri Branch Canal while a meagre 4,000 acres were getting water for irrigation for the last two decades. He demanded that water be released to Tadipathri to meet drinking water needs.
Information minister Kalava Srinivasulu said that about 2.64 lakh acres of ayacut existed under Tungabhadra High Level Main Canal in the region and advised the authorities to make a plan to release water from HNSS if Srisailam filled with flood waters from upstream parts.
