The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : State urged to supply water to 1.73 lakh acres

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Monday, Nov 09, 2009
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

State urged to supply water to 1.73 lakh acres

Staff Reporter

Irrigation Department in a position to cater to only 30 p.c. of ayacut
Lock committees being constituted to monitor utilisation of water

Kakinada: The State Government has been asked to permit water supply to 1,73,584 acres in central and eastern parts of the Godavari delta in East Godavari district for rabi crops as per the Localized Gazette Order of 1962. It is 64,000 acres more than 1,09,584 acres which was the total acreage arrived at in the Irrigation Advisory Board meeting held here late last month.

The proposed increase in ayacut has been necessitated by the demand from people’s representatives to cover more area by exploring alternative sources. Accordingly, the officials have resolved to lift 4.5 tmcft from Tulyabagha, Teki and Vruddha Gautami drains downstream of Sir Arthur Cotton barrage at Dowleswaram. Proposals to this effect are being forwarded. Addressing a review meeting on the crisis being faced by rabi crops, here on Sunday, Social Welfare Minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose said the present water levels in river Godavari were the lowest in 35 years. Out of the total requirement of 102 tmcft last year, 82 tmcft was available. Almost the entire ayacut in E.G district could be served with that.

The Irrigation Department was in a position to cater to only 30 percent of the ayacut in the ensuing Rabi season largely due to the unprecedented decline in self-yield of Godavari. The yield from Sileru has also touched the ebb this year, down to 24 tmcft from 44 tmcft.

Lifting of water from the drains entailed an expenditure of Rs 15 crore, which would be borne by the government in all probability. The farmers are requested to follow the advice of agricultural experts to avoid losses. Lock committees were being constituted to monitor the utilisation of water allocated as per the LGO and steps taken to spread awareness on the issue, Mr. Bose added.

Rural Water Supply Minister Pinipe Viswaroop, Collector Gopalakrishna Dwivedi, ZP Chairman Ch. Venugopala Krishna, MLAs Pamula Rajeswari Devi, Ponnada Satish Kumar and Nallamilli Sesha Reddy, Superintending Engineer (Irrigation) B Pratap Babu and others spoke.

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