Water will be released on Dec 7 for Rabi crop: Minister

PNS|Eluru

District In-charge Minister and State Transport Minister Pinipe Vishwarup said that irrigation water would be released to canals on December 7 for Rabi in Eluru district. A District Irrigation Advisory Council meeting was held at the Godavari meeting hall in Collectorate under the chairmanship of District Collector V Prasanna Venkatesh on Wednesday.

Former Deputy Chief Minister Alla Kalikrishna Srinivas (Nani), MLC Sheikh Sabji, MLA’s Kotaru Abbayya Chaudhary, Puppala Vasu babu, Tellam Balaraju, Dulam Nageswara Rao, Meka Venkata Pratap Apparao, District Agriculture Advisory Board Chairman Vejju Venkateswara Rao and Joint Collector P Arun babu attended the meeting.

Speaking on the occasion, District In-charge Minister Vishwarup said that the authorities are ready to provide water to 100 percent of the area this Rabi season since abundant water is available in the Godavari, Seleru and the Polavaram projects. He said that in East Godavari, Konaseema, Kakinada, West Godavari and Eluru districts, under Sir Arthur Cotton Barrage, water is required for cultivation, drinking and industrial purposes. The minister said that plans had been prepared for water supply to 8,96,507 acres. He informed that 70,104 acres could be irrigated in Rabi in Eluru district.

“It has been decided to release the water on December 7 and close the canals on April 10 after the Rabi harvest in the district. Depending on the conditions at that time on the closing of the canals, action will be taken if charges are required as per the instructions of the MLAs and farmers”, he made it clear. Regarding medium and minor irrigation projects in the district, he said it was decided to give water to 17,000 acres for Rabi under Erra kaluva, Tammileru and Kovvada projects. It has been decided to supply water to the Believe shrine for 5 days for devotees on the occasion of Maha Shivratri from the Tammileru project.

In view of the release of irrigation water for the Rabi crop on 7th December, farmers should be prepared for cultivation, the minister asked the farmers.Denduluru MLA Kotaru Abbayya Choudhary said that on the occasion of Maha Shivratri more than one lakh devotees would come to Believe. He said that Rs 10 lakh is required for the construction of embankment at Tammileru.