Rajamahendravaram: Farmers concerned as the water level falls in River Godavari

Rajamahendravaram: Farming community in East and West Godavari districts are expressing concern over the supply of water for cultivation during this rabi season, as the water levels in River Godavari have reduced drastically.

As the self yield water also reduced in River Godavari, it is inevitable to depend on the waters from Sileru, Balimela and Jolaput reservoirs.

The total requirement of water is 92 tmcft during the rabi season and of this, 83 tmcft water is for cultivation and 9 tmcft for domestic needs. So far, 71 tmcft of water has already been released.

Paddy is being cultivated in 8.96 lakh acres during this rabi season in Eastern, Central and Westeran deltas of East and West Godavari districts.

So far, 36 tmcft water was released from Sileru as against 43 tmcft of water and the officials are putting their endeavour to get the remaining seven tmcft of water from Sileru.

According to an engineer of Water Resources Department, in the first week of December, the self yield water in the river was satisfactory. But, the farmers delayed the agriculture operations for rabi crop. Hence, the irrigation department is finding it difficult to supply water for cultivation.

If the water supply from Sileru, Balimela and Jolaput is not up to the mark, the farmers would face water problem and as said earlier, the water supply cannot be stopped to three deltas by the end of March.

Moreover, a request has been made to the officials of Sileru, Balimela and Jolaput to release 13 tmcft of additional water to overcome the problem during this rabi season. At present 2.22 tmcft of water is available in the river pond.