KLIP irrigation delay sparks protest warning in Telangana

With no irrigation support from KLIP over a month into the water year, farmers in Telangana are gearing up for protests. Low inflows at Yellampalli and delays in repairs at Medigadda are worsening the situation for Kharif cultivation

Hyderabad: Farmers, frustrated by the prolonged delay in irrigation support for the ayacut under multiple reservoirs integrated with the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP), are preparing to launch protests. They are mounting pressure on officials in the respective districts for immediate water release, as more than a month into the water year, KLIP’s ayacut remains parched.

In Siddipet district, farmers are demanding the immediate restoration of the Medigadda barrage and its operations. In Gajwel, BRS leader V Pratap Reddy has threatened to mobilise 10,000 farmers for a massive protest along the Rajiv Rahadari highway if the government fails to initiate repairs within ten days.

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A similar situation unfolded last year, when the government pre-empted planned protests by releasing water from the Sripada Yellampalli project. However, Yellampalli could only facilitate the use of 58 TMCs of water during both Kharif and Rabi last year, partially supporting ayacut under Phase I and II through gravity flow. The reservoirs integrated with KLIP via Yellampalli remain poorly fed.

Last year, water was lifted from the Nandi Medaram pump houses in mid-July to meet Kharif season demands. At that time, Yellampalli received an inflow of nearly 17,000 cusecs. Today, however, inflows have dropped below 700 cusecs, and the project’s current storage stands at just 8.65 TMCs. Irrigation officials clarified that without surplus inflows, there is no scope for lifting water from Yellampalli by operating Nandi Medaram pumps.

Meanwhile, flood flows from the Pranahita river are rising, with over 70,000 cusecs being received at Medigadda. Discharges are being maintained at the same level to avoid water inundation in the barrage. However, Yellampalli is unlikely to receive any of this flood flow soon, as upstream projects on the Godavari have a huge flood cushion to be filled. Even the SRSP currently holds only 17 TMCs, leaving a cushion of over 70 TMCs to be filled.

As a result, Yellampalli may take more time to receive floodwaters, potentially delaying irrigation support further this year.