Energy Minister G. Jagadish Reddy on Friday released waters into the left canal of the Nagarjunasagar Project.
Well-timed with preparations for rabi season, the water release will help irrigate nearly 6.35 lakh acres in zone one and two spread across Nalgonda, Suryapet and Khammam districts. Of the total 6,34,889 acres, Nalgonda and Suryapet constitute about 60% of the acreage.
“Providing irrigation to the last acre will be the goal. The water schedule will be in on/off mode to ensure efficient use of the resource,” Mr. Reddy said, switching on the motors.
He, along with legislators from various constituencies in the district and senior officials from NSP, performed prayers and offered flowers to the waters gushing out of the gate. Mr. Reddy said officials and leaders in the districts here will be also meeting farmers in the ayacut, advising them on judicious use of water. “If farmers in Andhra Pradesh also exercise care and use the resource judiciously, Kkarif schedule next year could be advanced,” he said.
Since the NSP is at brimming level, thanks to upstream floods in the past few months, officials have also come up with a water schedule that would run till April.
According to officials, the schedule is stretched over four months, at an average of 9,000 cusecs per day, over 75 days. About 60 tmc water is estimated to be allowed into the left canal.
The first instalment started on Friday being the longest spell till January 18; the rest of the schedule is fixed at nine days each month till April first week.
