The Irrigation department successfully released Godavari water from Kaleshwaram project into SRSP through Mupkal pump house on Friday.
The water was released in the presence of Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Ministers Vemula Prashanth Reddy and Indrakaran Reddy. Special puja was performed ahead of the release of water. Release of water was necessitated as the monsoon had been weak since more than a month and farmers, unable to bear the delay, started plantation in the hope of rainfall at any point of time.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Prashanth Reddy described the event as historic as Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao Government had successfully ensured that water was lifted into SRSP which was located at a much higher altitude.
He recalled the Chief Minister’s assurance during during 2001 while participating in the statehood movement that he would ensure Godavari water to farmers once separate Telangana was carved. “He (the Chief Minister) made impossible possible,” he said.
The Minister said the Government had constructed eight pump-houses at the confluence of Pranahita with Godavari river to lift the water as and when necessary. The Government had taken steps to ensure that there would not be any dearth of water to farmers as it had taken steps to cater to the needs of the farmers through reverse pumping mode.
The decision to lift the water followed a meeting convened by the Chief Minister where the Irrigation officials were directed to lift 0.5 tmcft water for 60 days to SRSP project totalling 30 tmcft. When the Speaker requested Mr. Rao to consider the requirements of the farmers of about 5 tmcft of water under Nizamsagar ayacut, the Chief Minister assured that he was aware of the problems faced by farmers under the project.
