Srikakulam: Officials asked to prepare area wise water release schedule

Srikakulam: District Collector J Nivas on Thursday directed the agriculture and irrigation department officials to work with coordination to overcome the crisis arose in the wake of scanty rainfall in the district.

The collector conducted a review meeting with the officials to discuss action plan to overcome crisis arose in the wake of scanty rainfall during current monsoon season.

Out of total 38 mandals in the district, 16 mandals received scanty rainfall and 10 mandals received less than normal rainfall. As a result, farmers were facing difficult situation to cultivate paddy in tail-end and rain-based mandals across the district. The Collector asked the officials to assess actual water levels in all irrigation projects like, Gotta Barrage, Vamsadhara, Madduvalasa, Thotapalli reservoir, Narayanapuram anicut and other water resources.

To achieve it, both the agriculture and irrigation officials have to work together, the collector said and directed the agriculture officials to estimate clearly where kharif works are yet to start due to prevailing drought conditions. After receiving the estimations, the irrigation department officials need to chalk out an action plan to provide water on a weekly basis to protect standing crops. The Collector also directed the officials to book criminal cases against those, who are diverting and drawing canal waters illegally. He also instructed the officials to prepare area wise water release schedule and also to save excess use of water during the current crisis period.

Nivas also asked the officials to complete silt removing works in all canals for free flow of water till tail-end areas. Joint director for agriculture K Sridhar, superintendent engineer of Vamsadhara project P Ranga Rao, executive engineer for irrigation wing G Srinivas and other officials attended the review meeting.