Farmers in erstwhile Karimnagar worried over depleting water levels in irrigation projects

Last year, there was no shortfall for irrigable water since all major irrigation projects were brimming after adequate rainfall was recorded.

Karimnagar: Farmers in the erstwhile Karimnagar district are a worried lot over cultivation of crops in the Vanakalam season with all water bodies, including irrigation projects, here remaining almost completely dry.

Even the existing meager water levels would dip and reach the dead storage levels if adequate rains are not recorded in the coming days. Cultivation of crops will be taken up depending on the rainfall to be recorded in June and July, they say, adding that things could turn real bad if a good rainfall is recorded by the end of this month.

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Last year, there was no shortfall for irrigable water since all major irrigation projects were brimming after adequate rainfall was recorded. However, the situation is different this time around. Compared to last year, there is a significant decline in water levels in the three reservoirs of Mid Manair Dam (MMD), Lower Manair Dam (LMD) and Sripada Yellampalli project.

Earlier, water used to be lifted from Medigadda of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project and dumped in the Yellampalli project from where it would be taken to Mid Manair by filling the Nandi reservoir and operating the Gayatri pump house. Besides LMD, water used to be supplied to the Ranganayaka Sagar in Siddipet district from MMD.

However, with water being left out of the Sundilla, Annaram and Medigadda barrages, it is not possible possible to draw water from Godavari.

Water levels in Yellampalli have declined since there are no inflows from SRSP as well as there is no chance to lift water from the Kaleshwaram project. In order to protect standing crops, irrigation officials had lifted more than 25 TMC from the Kaleshwaram project every year for three years.

Now, water levels in Yellampalli have declined to 6.08 TMC as against its storage capacity of 20.175 TMC. This time last year, the project had 13.40 TMC water.

Similarly, only 7.79 TMC of water is available in Mid Manair reservoir as against its storage capacity of 27.55 TMC. Last year, 20.87 TMC of water was available.

In LMD, water levels have declined to 5.92 TMC as against its storage capacity of 24 TMC. 8.18 TMC of water was available in June last year.

LMD is the main drinking water source for Karimnagar town as well as a few villages in Siddipet district. Instead of on a regular basis, water is being supplied to the residents of Karimnagar town every alternate day due to the shortage of water in LMD.

Besides drinking water, it is the only irrigable water source for more than 6 lakh acres in erstwhile Karimnagar, Warangal, Khammam and Nalgonda districts.

A farmer from Ippalapalli, G Rajesham said it was difficult to cultivate crops if LMD was not filled with water since it was the main water source for their agricultural fields.

Otherwise, they have to depend on agricultural pump sets. If there were no adequate rains, groundwater would not be recharged and it would become difficult to draw water from borewells too, he said.

Water levels in irrigation projects 

LMD 

• Total capacity: 24 TMC

• Present level: 5.92 TMC

• Last year this time: 8.18 TMC

MMD 

• Total capacity: 27.55 TMC

• Present level: 5.79 TMC

• Last year this time: 20.40 TMC

Yellampalli 

• Total capacity 20 TMC

• Present level: 6.08 TMC

• Last year this time: 13.40 TMC