Lack of political will hits irrigation projects in Anantapur

Anantapur-Sri Sathya Sai: A host of incomplete irrigation projects stands as a testimony to the lack of commitment and political will on the part of the state government. HLC modernisation project launched in 2008 during the tenure of Y S Rajasekhar Reddy had been dragging on until 2019 when a change in the government was witnessed. After the YSRCP taking over reigns of government, the modernisation was abandoned. The 100km canal on the Karnataka side was modernised by the Karnataka government but the AP government, which was a signatory to the inter-state agreement, failed to show any commitment to complete the project. As a result, the high-level canal condition was weak and the canal bunds are not in a position to contain the pressure of flow of water released from Karnataka side.

Tungabhadra Board secretary Nagamohan in a statement revealed that the AP authorities had requested them to release only 1,000 cusecs water against the eligible quantum of 2,575 cusecs water. This reflects on the weak canal system as well as lack of water storage systems. The new Bhairavanitippa project is designed to divert Krishna water which come to Jeedipalle reservoir further to Garudapuram village in Gummagatta mandal and from there to Bhairavanitippa in Rayadurgam mandal too could not be completed delaying its promised benefits to people.

Similar is the fate of the Peruru project. The project costing Rs 900 crores to be executed by constructing a canal from Jeedipalle to Peruru. The project dubbed as Upper Pennar Project is expected to irrigate 50,000 acres in Raptadu constituency. Krishna waters could have been stored in Peruru but due to delay in finishing the canal, the benefits could not be passed on to the people. The drought-prone district cannot take advantage of the water available in Tungabhadra dam nor the Krishna water due to absence of water storage reservoirs in the district.

Even the HNSS project for bringing Krishna waters is limping due to lack of financial support from the government. The inordinate delay in the execution of Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir project stage-1 and II, and the related canal system was the reason for inability to tap its share of Krishna and Tungabhadra waters.