Over 40 tmcft of water to be released for 3.64 lakh acres in Nellore district: Endowments Minister

Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy releasing the water from Somasila reservoir for the Rabi crops in SPSR Nellore district on Wednesday.

More than 40 tmcft of water will be released from the Somasila reservoir for 3.64 lakh acres for the second crop (Rabi season) for the first time in combined Nellore district, said Endowments Minister Anam Ramanarayana Reddy after releasing the water from the reservoir on Wednesday. Another 16 tmcft of water will be released from the Telugu Ganga project for 35,360 acres in Nellore district and 1,24 lakh acres in Tirupati district respectively.

“I have been attending Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB) meetings for the past 35 years. Till now, water for irrigation has been released for only 1.60 lakh acres in the combined district for the second crop. During the last five years, there have been frequent clashes between regions, farmers and public representatives in the IAB meetings, regarding the release of water for the second crop,” the Minister said.

“After the coalition government came to power, ample irrigation water has been released to the farmers in all regions. A comprehensive irrigation water management plan to store nearly 100 tmcft of water in Somasila and Kandaleru reservoirs in the district have yielded positive results. With this, water can be released smoothly for the second crop,” he added.

“In the recent meeting, the IAB decided to store 12 tmcft, out of the 52 tmcft in Somasila, for drinking water and other needs, while the remaining 40 tmcft will be provided to the farmers for the second crop. It is a matter of pride that the NDA government is providing irrigation water to more than four lakh acres for the first time in the district this year,” Mr. Ramanarayana Reddy said.

Through Somasila reservoir, 22.22 tmcft of water under Penna Delta will be provided for two lakh acres, 2.22 tmcft water from Kanupur main canal for 20,000 acres, 8.22 tmcft water from Kavali canal for 74,000 acres, 3.89 tmcft of water from North feeder channel for 35,000 acres and another 3.89 tmcft water from South feeder channel for 35,000 acres in the district.

“Up to 5 tmcft of water has been provided to Tamil Nadu from the Kandaleru reservoir and the State is ready to provide them with the additional water required through Sathya Sai Ganga canal,” he informed.

As per the orders of Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu and Irrigation Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu during their recent visit to the Somasila reservoir, steps have been taken to complete the Somasila High Level Canal work at the earliest. If these works are completed, the irrigation and drinking water woes of the farmers of Marripadu and Ananthasagaram will be solved.