Water in Irrigation projects reaches alarming low level across Adilabad
Water levels in major irrigation projects across the erstwhile Adilabad district have dropped sharply due to severe heat wave conditions. Farmers and municipalities are worried about irrigation and drinking water shortages as reservoirs continue losing water through evaporation and reduced inflows
Adilabad: Water levels in some irrigation projects reached alarmingly low levels in the erstwhile Adilabad district following heat wave conditions, worrying farmers and people in urban areas.
Irrigation officials said the water level in the Sripada Yellampalli Project at Gudipet village stood at 9.030 tmc against its storage capacity of 20.175 tmc. The outflow was 546 cusecs, while the inflow was 144 cusecs a day. The project continued to witness a drop in water level every day. About 190 cusecs of water is evaporating daily.
Following the significant dip, supply of water to the Vemunur pump house and the Gudem Lift Irrigation Scheme was stopped as a precautionary measure. While 290 cusecs of water is drawn from the project by the Gudem Lift Irrigation Scheme, 500 cusecs is lifted by the pump house at Vemunur in Peddapalli district. Supply of water to NTPC and the Nandi pump house was also stopped.
The sharp fall in water levels has worried farmers cultivating paddy and maize crops in the project ayacut in Mancherial and Peddapalli districts. Farmers expressed concern over the rapid decline in water availability. They urged officials to take steps to ensure irrigation water for crops raised during the Yasangi season.
Similarly, the water level in the Kaddam Narayana Reddy Project was measured at 679 metres or 0.938 tmc against its storage capacity of 700 metres or 4.699 tmc. The inflow was 28 cusecs, while the outflow was 82 cusecs. The project is losing 73 cusecs of water every day through evaporation and scour vent discharge. It can irrigate 68,150 acres under its ayacut.
Meanwhile, other medium and minor irrigation projects such as Sathnala, Mathadiwagu, Swarna, Kumram Bheem, Gollavagu, Nelwai and Rallavagu have almost dried up due to the severe heat wave conditions prevailing in the region.
Municipalities drawing bulk water from some of these projects are likely to face a drinking water crisis if water levels fall further. For instance, Bellampalli, Asifabad and Kaghaznagar municipalities depend on water from the Kumram Bheem project. Six municipalities, including Mancherial, Mandamarri, Naspur, Kyathanpalli, Luxettipet and Chennur, rely on water from the Sripada Sagar Yellampalli project.
