Karimnagar: In order to provide water to standing crops, water is being released into the Kakatiya canal from Lower Manair Dam from Wednesday. Though it was earlier decided to release water on July 25, it was delayed due to various reasons. BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar along with TS Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar released the water into the canal by switching on the release button at the head regulator on Wednesday evening.
Presently, 2,000 cusecs of water is being discharged through Kakatiya canal and the quantity of the water would be increased in a phased manner. This will continue until November.
All irrigation projects in the State got huge inflows following the recent heavy rains, following which the State government decided to release water into Kakatiya canal from LMD to protect the standing crops. While LMD has 22 tmc of water as against its storage capacity of 24.034 tmc, the project is getting huge inflows from the Moyathummeda vagu.
A total of 13,33,640 acres has been cultivated under the Sri Ram Sagar Project. While 4,62,920 acres are sowed in the upstream of LMD, the remaining 8,70,720 acres are downstream. Out of the latter 8,70,720 acres, 5,05,720 acres are being cultivated under Stage-I in Karimnagar and Warangal districts. In stage-II, the remaining 3,65,000 acres are being cultivated in Khammam and Nalgonda districts.
The water will go up to Nalgonda passing through Warangal, the Minister said, also assuring to release water from Mid Manair after discussing with Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.