Telangana: Frequent bund breaches plunge Karimnagar’s Kalvala project farmers in dilemma

Bund of 50-year-old project breached for third time on Wednesday as Kakatiya canal water was released into the water body by lifting gates near Keshavapatnam

Karimnagar: Farmers of the Kalvala irrigation project are in a dilemma. Though the project’s bund has breached repeatedly, affecting crops time and again, no permanent solution has been found for the problem.

The bund of the 50-year-old project breached for the third time on Wednesday as the Kakatiya canal water was released into the water body by lifting the gates near Keshavapatnam.

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The efforts of farmers, who had done temporary repairs by pooling in Rs 3 lakh in December last year to get water for the Yasangi season, went waste with the breach of the bund.

Ryots, who cultivated crops by depending on the project, were worried about the standing crops since paddy was in the final stage.

The 0.25 tmc water storage capacity project was constructed in 1969-70 near Kalvala village of Shankarapatnam mandal, 40 km from the district headquarters. It gets water from 10 tanks and three rivulets right from Husnabad of Siddipet district.

It is the only water source for more than 2,000 acres in Shankarapatnam and Veenavanka mandals. Another 1,500 acres is also being cultivated by drawing water from the project by arranging motors.

In order to draw water from the project, a few farmers laid a pipeline for about 1,000 metres and arranged motors by spending huge amounts. The troubles of the farmers began on July 27, 2023, when the bund breached for the first time in the recent decade.

In order to protect standing crops, irrigation officials conducted temporary repair works by laying a ring bund and supplied water to crops in Vanakalam and Yasangi seasons.

It again breached after one year in July 2024 due to heavy inflows. Farmers sowing crops depending on the project conducted temporary repair works by pooling in Rs 3 lakh to get water for their crops in the Yasangi season. However, it breached again on Wednesday.

When it got damaged in 2023, BRS leaders, including B Vinod Kumar, Padi Kaushik Reddy and Rasamai Balkishan, visited the spot and promised to enhance water storage capacity by developing it as the Mini Lower Manair Dam. Estimates were also prepared to take up works with Rs 72 crore.

However, before the works could start, the government changed. Local leaders then submitted representations to Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, who promised to take up the works as early as possible. But, nothing has been done so far.

The farmers wanted the State government to start the works in the summer as it was the right time to take up such work and complete it on a war footing. Otherwise, they would have to face more trouble for water in the next Vanakalam, they said.