Siddipet farmers cheerful as Kudavelly Vagu springs to life in mid-summer
"It is a historic day since water has been lifted from 100 metre from sea level to 600 metre," Finance Minister T Harish Rao said.
Siddipet: In a rare but delightful sight, Kudavelly, a tributary of river Godavari, started flowing in mid-summer when Finance Minister T Harish Rao released water from Kaleshwaram canal at Kodakandla in Siddipet district on Tuesday.
During the rainy season, Kudavelly flows into Godavari river, but the Telangana government lifted Godavari water to make Kudavelly come alive. “It is a historic day since water has been lifted from 100 metre from sea level to 600 metre,” he said.
The Minister said 800 cusecs of water will be released into the stream till the 34 check dams constructed across the stream in Gajwel, Thoguta, and Dubbak mandals are filled to the brim.
Stating that farmers irrigating over 12,000 acres in the villages along Kudavelly in Dubbak and Gajwel Assembly Constituencies will benefit from the release of water, Harish Rao said visionary Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has realised the long cherished dream of irrigating the fields of Siddipet district with Godavari water by coming up with KLIS.
“When the Chief Minister redesigned KLIS, Rao the Opposition parties rubbished the project, but today crops worth lakhs have been saved by releasing just a small share of water into Kudavelly. During the Congress and TDP rule in united Andhra Pradesh, Siddipet district villages never used to get even sufficient drinking water, leave alone for irrigation of fields,” he said, adding that despite Opposition parties’ criticism of Mallanna Sagar, the Chief Minister remained committed to complete the project with the sole aim to making farming profitable.
Many farmers could not believe their eyes when the stream started flowing in hot summer. Thousands of farmers from across Dubbak and Gajwel Constituencies thanked Harish Rao and Chandrashekar Rao. The farmers were seen waiting along the Kudavelly to see the river flowing. MP Kotha Prabhakar Reddy, Forest Development Corporation Chairman Vanteru Prathap Reddy, DCCB Chairman Chitt Devendar Reddy, Engineer-in-chief Hariram, Superintending Engineer Kondapochamma Sagar S Venu and others were present.
Haldi Vagu to get water soon
After releasing Godavari water into Kudavelly Vagu on Tuesday, the irrigation department authorities are gearing up to release water into Haldi Vagu, another major stream in erstwhile Medak district, for the benefit of farmers in Siddipet and Medak districts.
Sources in the department told Telangana Today that they have already received directions from the government to release water from Kondapochamma Sagar into Haldi Vagu through Sangareddy canal. The water from Sangareddy Canal flows through four minor irrigation tanks in Gajwel constituency before reaching Khan Cherervu at Amberpet village of Wargal mandal where the Haldi Vagu originates.
Haldi Vagu, which has a number of check dams in both the districts, flows through Gajwel constituency and Medak district. The Officials said they may release water in about three days time which will benefit thousands of farmers in both Siddipet and Medak districts.
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