Telangana: Repair works taken up in Kalvala Project

TS Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar had visited the project and promised to take steps to protect standing crops by taking up temporary repair works

Karimnagar: In order to protect standing crops, temporary repair works have been taken up in the Kalvala Project, the bund of which was breached due to heavy floods reaching the water body following recent heavy rains.

Farmers, who sowed paddy depending on the project, were worried about their crop as the entire 0.25 tmc water storage capacity project became empty within a few hours after the breach on July 28. Paddy sowed downstream of the project was completely washed away. Fishermen, who make a livelihood fishing from the water body, were worried more following the emptying of the project.

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Knowing about the incident, TS Planning Board vice-chairman B Vinod Kumar had visited the project and promised to take steps to protect standing crops by taking up temporary repair works. Officials also visited the project and prepared estimations for repair works, which began on August 13.

In order to divert water towards Thumu (regulator), an earthen bund is being formed in the project so that the water to the water body from its catchment areas henceforth will be diverted towards the regulator and supplied to standing crops.

Constructed in 1969-70 near Kalvala village of Shankarapatnam mandal, 40 km away from the district headquarters, the project gets water from 10 tanks and three major rivulets right from Husnabad of Siddipet district. It is the only water source for more than 3,000 acres in Shankarapatnam and Veenavanka mandals. Another 1,500 acres is also being cultivated by drawing water from the project by arranging motors.

Village sarpanch Dasarapu Badraiah said the temporary repair works were taken up to protect standing crops. An earthen bund was being formed to divert water towards the regulator through which water would be supplied to standing crops, he said.