Government to release water to NS canal tomorrow

Guntur: The State government has decided to release water for paddy cultivation in 1.35 lakh acres under Nagarjuna Sagar right canal ayacut area of Guntur district during this kharif.

Similarly, irrigated dry (ID) crops will also be cultivated under N S right canal ayacut area in Guntur and Prakasam districts. Addressing a press conference at the R & B Guest House in Guntur city on Friday, Home Minister Mekathoti Sucharita said that taking water levels in Nagarjunasagar Dam into consideration, the government will release water for NS right canal to help farmers take up cultivation in the kharif season.

The NS right canal ayacut area covers Macherla, Gurazala, Sattenapalli, Vinukonda, Pedakurapadu, Narasaraopet and and Chilakaluripet Assembly constituencies in Guntur district.

The Minister urged the farmers to avail the facility and cultivate paddy and ID crops in the kharif. She said that 75 tmcft water was allotted to Guntur district, out of which 10 tmc feet water is required to meet drinking water needs.

The water will be released from September 1 for nine days continuously. She instructed the officials to take steps to check diversion of irrigation water. YSRCP floor leader in the State Legislative Council Ummareddy Venkateswarulu, District Collector I Samuel Anand Kumar, MLAs Pinnelli Rama Krishna Reddy, Kilari Rosaiah, Gropireddy Srinivasa Reddy, Bolla Brahma Naidu, Vidadala Rajini and Ambati Rambabu participated.