The TDP has asked Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to drop the proposal to increase the capacity of the Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) at Srisailam from 44,000 cusecs to 80,000 cusecs.
In a letter to the Chief Minister on Sunday, TDP MLAs Gottipati Ravi Kumar, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, and Eluri Sambasiva Rao said that any further increase in the capacities of the projects at Srisailam would lead to reduced, or zero water release to the lower Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir.
“This will severely affect the farmers of Prakasam district who are heavily dependent on the Sagar waters for both irrigation and drinking water needs,” they said.
The TDP MLAs said that Prakasam district was known for its proneness to drought and lack of water supply.
“In a 15-year period, the district receives normal rainfall only for three years, and in the remaining 12 years it experiences drought. During 2014-20, the district received water from Nagarjuna Sagar only for two years. For the remaining five years, water was supplied only for drinking purposes,” they said.
“Over four lakh acres out of the total 11 lakh acres of cultivable land has turned into a desert due to lack of water supply. Farmers of Darsi, Addanki and Yarragondapalem completely depend on water from Nagarjuna Sagar, while those from Kondepi, Parchuru, Santanutalapadu and Ongole partially depend on it. If the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir does not receive the required water from Srisailam, the Prakasam farmers will face a severe crisis,” the TDP leaders said.
They further said that water would be released to Nagarjuna Sagar only when the Srisailam reservoir was full and reached 885 ft.
“But Andhra Pradesh and Telangana projects are lifting water from Srisailam at the the levels of 825 ft and 805 ft. Over 1 lakh cusecs are being lifted at Srisailam even before the water level touched 850 ft,” they said, and called for proper regulation at Srisailam.
