Telangana: New O&M policy, guidelines for pump houses of lift irrigation projects in pipeline

The Irrigation department will come up with a comprehensive policy and guidelines soon for effective operation and maintenance of pump houses of the lift irrigation projects.

Hyderabad: With the growing significance of lift irrigation projects in the State, the Irrigation department will come up with a comprehensive policy and guidelines soon for effective operation and maintenance of pump houses of the lift irrigation projects. Accordingly, the pump houses will be inspected at regular intervals and necessary repairs works will be taken up to avoid operational problems.

The significance of the lift irrigation schemes has increased in the State over the last few years, towards supply of water for irrigation and drinking water purposes. Of about 1.25 crore acres of cultivable land in the State dependent on irrigation systems, nearly 75 lakh acres were relying exclusively on lift irrigation projects. Another 10-15 lakh acres were receiving irrigation water through groundwater and other sources for cultivation.

“Although a mechanism is already in place for monitoring, inspection and repairs of the pump houses, the State government is keen on strengthening it and increase its frequency to avoid any untoward incidents,” a top official in the Irrigation department told Telangana Today.

Under the new and comprehensive policy, issues pertaining to the operation of irrigation systems would be addressed immediately and water flow would be ensured. Repairs and maintenance of these irrigation systems would be carried out utilising the time between two crop seasons.

The State government initiated the process of strengthening the operations of the Irrigation department following the initiative of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao last year. After the submergence of the pump houses of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme during the recent floods in Godavari River, the State government had expedited these efforts with special focus on the pump houses.

Accordingly, measures were taken to reorganise the entire department as well as strengthen the irrigation systems and streamline the constant flow of water from different irrigation projects to agricultural lands in the State. Apart from reorganising the Irrigation department, the Chief Minister had also created the Operations and Maintenance division which in turn improved efficiency of water usage in the irrigation projects.

In all, the government created 19 territories and appointed territorial chief engineers with a dedicated fund of Rs.280 crore to carry out desiltation of canals, repair works and other issues. The officials were allowed to carry out these works with the available funds, without requiring to wait for the State government’s approval.