Call for comprehensive report on stabilising canals infra

Anantapur: Heavy to moderate and steady rainfall during the past two weeks in the united Anantapur district has resulted in damaging canal bunds and breaches to HLC and HNSS canals at several points in Bommanahal region.

In the absence of inlet to the canal, water from submerged crop fields could not be diverted into the canal. Also, mud flowing along with water from fields, is creating heavy sheet of silt camouflaging the canal.

Heavy rainwater inflows at the branch canal had caused breaches, causing inconvenience to the farmers of Unthakallu and Devagiri cross.

Farmers are happy with the water inflows into Tungabhadra reservoir, which rekindled hope for their sowing activity.

In the context of the irrigation officials plans to release water for crops in July, breaches have to be repaired on a war footing basis. Unless temporary repairs are taken up, farmers’ hopes would be watered down. Three major breaches and minor breaches here and there need to be repaired on a mission mode and all road blocks for free flow water have to be cleared including the silt formation.

Meanwhile, district Collector Dr Vinod Kumar held an emergency meeting with all the irrigation engineers of HLC and HNSS projects on Sunday and directed them to prepare a comprehensive report on measures that need to be taken for stabilising of irrigation infrastructure relating to both the canals of HLC and Hundri Neeva projects and send the same to the State authorities for initiating remedial action. He instructed the engineers to maintain a tour dairy of visits to the canals for identification of problems and report the same higher-ups on a day to day basis.

Trainee Collector Vinuthna, HNSS SE Desey Naik and executive engineer Narayana Naik, Swaroop Kumar, Pratap and Srinivasa Naik and deputy engineers Krishnadas and Gurunath Reddy were among those present at the review

meeting.