Telangana ranks among top 5 in water usage

Hyderabad: Telangana stood among the top five states in the country in the usage of water bodies in irrigation.

According to the first Water Body Census done by the Union Ministry of Jalashakti, Telangana has 64,056 water bodies. Majority of them, 98.5 per cent are in rural areas and the remaining are in urban areas. Most of the water bodies are ponds followed by water conservation schemes, percolation tanks and check dams, it said.

The report further said in Telangana, 80.5% are under public ownership and the remaining are under private ownership. It also observed that 17.3% water bodies are located under 'Drought Prone Areas Programme', 10.6% in tribal areas and the remaining 72.1% are in flood-prone areas, naxal affected and other areas. When it comes to utilisation of the water bodies, 80.8% are in use while the rest have dried up or destroyed and are beyond repair. The water body census said the state has 10,170 natural and 53,886 man-made water bodies. Out of them 96.2% were in rural areas and 3.8% were in urban areas.

Similarly, out of 53,886 man-made water bodies, 98.9% are located in rural areas and the remaining are in urban areas. It said the state shows that 64.7% water bodies were in use and 32.9% water bodies meet the requirement of two to five cities or towns. Similarly, 17,009 (32.9%) water bodies meet the requirements of two to five cities or towns.

The Census reports said there has been encroachment of 3,032 water bodies, out of which 50.8% are ponds, 49.2% tanks, lakes, reservoirs, water conservation schemes and percolation tanks and check dams. The encroachment of water bodies ranged from 25% to 75%, it added.