Warangal Rural: Farmers elated as Godavari water reaches Pakhal lake
The Irrigation department decided to stabilise Pakhal Lake’s ayacut by linking it with Ramappa lake which would be a balancing reservoir for Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme under Phase III
Warangal Rural: With the waters of the Godavari River reaching the Pakhal Lake on Saturday, the farmers rejoiced that they can now cultivate two crops under the lake’s ayacut. They also thanked the TRS government led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for fulfilling its commitment to provide irrigation facility to all the cultivable land by taking up the construction of many projects including the linking of the historical Ramappa Lake and Pakhal Lake under the J Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme.
On Saturday, thousands of farmers had gathered at a bridge constructed across the Dabbavagu (stream) between Keerya Thanda and Gundam villages of Khanapur mandal in the district as local MLA Peddi Sudharshan Reddy offered flowers to the water.
The Irrigation department decided to stabilise Pakhal Lake’s ayacut by linking it with Ramappa lake which would be a balancing reservoir for Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme under Phase III. A state-level standing committee on irrigation projects gave its approval for the construction of a 24-km long pipeline with 2.5 m diameter from Ramappa lake to connect Dabbavagu, a stream which flows for 9 km, to merge with the Pakhal lake, and construct a pump house at Ramappa lake on February 10, 2017. The total estimated project cost is Rs 282 crore.
Water from the Godavari River through Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme is drawn almost throughout the year after the construction of the proposed Thupakulagudem barrage to fill Ramappa lake and other lakes. Following the linking of the Pakhal lake with Ramappa late, the farmers can get irrigation water even for the Yasangi season. Spread over 5,300 acres with a water holding capacity of 3.23 tmc ft, the Kakatiya era Pakhal Lake irrigates 30,000 acres. However, official records show that it irrigates over 18,000 acres. This medium irrigation project was built in the 13th century.
Speaking to ‘Telangana Today’, Munigala Amba Reddy alias Ambarish Reddy of Dwarakapet of Narsampet town said, “The farmers of the Pakhal Lake ayacut can now get water for two crops in a year. We will remain indebted to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao.”
Expressing similar views, Mandava Prasad Rao, a farmer from Khanapur, who owns nearly four acres of the land, said that the farmers used to suffer a lot as they could not get water during the Yasangi season. “But now, we can get the water even in the Yasangi season,” he added.
According to the irrigation officials, two motors were installed at the Ramppa pump house to lift 15 million cubic feet (MCFT) per day. “The water will be lifted for one month from the Ramappa Lake to Pakhal Lake,” said an official.
Meanwhile, the Godavari River water from Ramappa has already reached the Rangaya Cheruvu at Govindapur in Nallabelli mandal in the district. The Rangaya Cheruvu tank provides an irrigation facility to 32,000 acres of the land in Narsampet, Nallabelli, Khanapuram and Duggondi mandals in Warangal Rural district under its right and left canals. On the other hand, 7,500 acres of the land will get irrigation from the right canal in Mulugu Assembly constituency of Mulugu district. A total of four motors (two for Rangaya cheruvu and two for Pakhal Lake with 5.07 MW capacity each) were installed at the pump houses built at Ramappa Lake. The construction of the pump house was completed in January 2020.
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