BRAHMASAGAR TO DISAPPOINT FARMERS AGAIN

Brahmamsagar, an integral part of the Telugu Ganga project, is likely to disappoint farmers this year as well. Though Telugu Ganga water was coming to the district for the last

13 years, this particular reservoir was never filled to its capacity.

Although there is a main canal with a capacity of 5,000 cusecs from Velugodu Reservoir in Kurnool district, water never reaches more than 2000 cusecs. The canal is expected to flow for 98 km but gets diverted by farmers in the upper area, which remains the main reason for the water flow not going beyond 2,000 cusecs in any given year.

Even if water is brought in for a long time, it is not possible to fill more than 12 TMC due to leakage in the Brahmamsagar earth dam. The reservoir’s full water level was

17.73 TMC, filled up from a maximum of

11.9 TMC last year. In order for water to be fully brought in from Velugodu Reservoir, the canal till up to its eighth kilometre is filled with bushes and other waste material, which remains the main obstacle for the water stream. The canal is hit by lack of lining works. Although it has a capacity of 5,000 cusecs, till now the water release has been less than 3,000 cusecs.

While farmers and farmers’ union leaders have been battling over the past few years for full water, the previous government had called for tenders to strengthen the canals. The company that secured the works removed the bushes and other debris into the canal and they stopped the works. However, the latest is that water will be released to the canal this week. If the main canal is not solidified under these conditions, it will not be possible to fill the reservoir completely this year.