No clarity on release of water to Nagarjuna Sagar canal

Narasaraopet: There is no clarity on release of water to 6.74 lakh acres of Nagarjuna Sagar right canal ayacut area of erstwhile Guntur and Prakasam districts for cultivating the crops during the kharif due to lack of sufficient water in the Nagarjuna Sagar Reservoir.

Previous year, the government released water from the Nagarjunasagar Right Canal for cultivating various crops during the kharif season on July 31.

Compared to last year, the water levels in Srisailam, Nagargarjunasagar reservoirs are low due to lack of inflows from upstream. According to the official sources, at present water level in the Nagarjunasagar Reservoir is 140.67 TMCs. During the corresponding period last year water level in the reservoir was 344.99 TMCs.

At present, water level in the Srisailam reservoir is 119.88 TMCs. During the corresponding period last year the water level in the reservoir was 213.4 TMCs. Nagarjunasagar reservoir is unable to get water from Almatti, Narayanapura, Jurala and Srisailam reservoirs as earlier. As a result, farmers are in dilemma whether to cultivate red chilli and paddy during the kharif. Farmers will cultivate irrigated dry crops if they do not get water. There is no clarity from the government on release of water for kharif during this season.

The farmers are expressing doubts over cultivation of paddy and red chilli in over 2-lakh acres.

Meanwhile, the officials are expecting that Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoirs are likely to get water within two weeks.

Engineering officials of NSP canals on the condition of anonymity informed that as soon as they get sufficient inflows from the upstream, they will release the water for kharif crops. They said 132 TMCs of water was already allotted.