ANANTAPUR: The State Government's proposal for deployment of Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel for surveillance of the Tungabhadra Right High Level Canal in Karnataka territory is unlikely to be implemented this year. The issue is yet to be taken up with the Karnataka Government.

Deployment of CISF personnel is a long-pending demand of the farmers under the canal in the State, who complain about breaches and tapping in Karnataka.

The proposal is intended to prevent sabotage in canal breaches and tapping of water by the farmers of unauthorised ayacut in Karnataka.

The proposal assumes significance in the wake of the official conclusion that July 24 breach on the canal in Karnataka was the result of sabotage.

It is learnt that the farmers of unauthorised ayacut had caused the breach to fill a couple of irrigation tanks, which are not linked to HLC there.

Sources in the HLC administration told The Hindu that though the State Government had been talking about the CISF deployment and allocation of Rs. 2.5 crores for the purpose, it had not taken up the matter with Karnataka so far.

Board's nod

Though Tungabhadra Board has given its consent to the proposal, Karnataka's approval is also required for its implementation.

Besides, the Karnataka Government has to bear half the expenditure for deployment of CISF during the water release period. The localised ayacut under the canal in Karnataka has also suffered due to frequent breaches.

The recent breach delayed drawing of more than 0.5 tmc ft water to Anantapur district. Early drawing of water will give an advantage to the farmers in the district as water will be at their disposal in the form of storage at Kanekal tank, Pennar Ahobilum Balancing Reservoir (PABR) and Mid Pennar reservoir.

Water to ayacut

As the water release to the canal has been resumed after filling the breach the officials are planning to release water to ayacut under HLMC and GBC from August 5.

But, a section of the farmers, who are yet to take up raising paddy nurseries, have been asking for water from August 1 itself.

Meanwhile The HLC engineers are also planning to impound PABR with about 2.5 tmc ft water initially to test the strength of grouting done on the leakages in the main bund.

They are planning to store about 5 tmc ft water in PABR this year, provided the leakages are settled.

Impounding of water in PABR will give rise to the demands for filling irrigation tanks connected to PABR right canal. However, a decision is yet to be taken in this regard.

Nevertheless, water storage in PABR will also enable the mini-hydel plant there to resume power generation after a gap of three years.

The plant generates 20 MW power.

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