Rayalaseema activists condemn Buggana’s statement of TB Dam, seek answers for ‘water scarcity’

A view of Tungabhadra Dam in Anatapur district.
| Photo Credit: File photo

Taking strong exception to the statements made by Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy at Hospet in Karnataka that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy’s administrative acumen had led to the generation of the highest amount of power from Tungabhadra Dam and the largest amount of water consumption, several water rights groups in the Rayalaseema region have questioned the water scarcity in the region. 

Describing the statements of the Finance Minister as the ‘lofty claims’, the Rayalaseema Saguneeti Sadhana Samithi and the Rayalaseema Steering Committee have asked the government must answer as to why the region is being deprived of irritation water if so much water is available in the TB Dam.

“Why are the tail-end farmers from Pulivendula, Tadipatri and Mylavaram Branch Canals of the Tungabhadra Right Bank High-Level Main Canal agitating over the scarce supply of supply of water?” they asked.

Rayalaseema Saaguneti Sadhana Samithi president Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy, during his inspection of the TB Dam, said people of Rayalseema region had been suffering due to lack of drinking and irrigation water and the ‘rulers (government and policy makers) were to be blamed for it.

“The Minister’s statement that the modernisation works of the HLC canal were in the tendering stage is a lie. The government issued G.O. No. 365 on August 7, 2020, banning the project for five years and the works were pre-closed,” he said.

The irrigation system in the region is in disarray, he alleged and asked why so much electricity was generated, when the Constitution, the Irrigation Commission of India, and the State Apportionment Act mandated that priority should be given to potable water, followed by irrigation.

“The rulers are doing great injustice to the region by neglecting irrigation and giving priority to power generation,” he said.

The irrigation network has become a sorry state of affairs due to the non-allocation of funds to the projects undertaken in the Rayalaseema region, and poor management of the existing ones.

The 2022-23 water year was the most favourable year for Krishna (Tungabhadra, Vedavati and Handri rivers are tributaries of Krishna) water. About 600 tmcft of water came from Sunkesula Dam, and along with the Tungabhadra waters which join the Krishna River, a total of 2,000 tmcft of water flown into Srisailam Reservoir, but out of 2.85 lakh acres to be irrigated, only 85,000 acres got water, he said.

The Rayalaseema Steering Committee headed by Byreddy Rajasekhar Reddy and its vice-president Ashok Vardhan Reddy too questioned the statement of Mr. Rajendranath Reddy and asked as to why he had not objected to the construction of the Upper Bhadra during his visit to the T.B. Dam on Tuesday.

They said the Alaganur Reservoir meant for stabilisation of the Tungabhadra ayacut was not repaired. “What happened to the joint inspection objection report given to the T.B. Board on the foreshore projects on Tungabhadra Reservoir and why did not the State government prevail upon the board to stop them,” they asked. 

Mr. Bojja Dasaratharami Reddy said while the project was controlled by an independent board with representatives from three member States and the Centre, the water allocation for the Tungabhadra Upper Canal (TBHLMC) in the 2022-23 water year was 32.5 tmcft that too when 209 tmcft of water was impounded and while it was supposed to irrigate 2.85 lakh acres, water was given to only 85,000 acres and the remaining has flown downstream or into the sea.

Similarly, the TBRB Lower Level Canal water allocation was put at 24 tmcft and consumption or withdrawal was only 15.48 tmcft of water. The prescribed area for irrigation is 1.51 lakh acres, but water was given to only 75,000 acres.

“The State government must answer for not meeting the irrigation requirements of Rayalaseema adequately even in the best water year. It must not give false statements pertaining to people’s consumption,” he said.