Irrigation
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Andhra Pradesh is situated in the central stretch of the eastern seaboard of the Indian Peninsula. Telangana is situated at a high altitude in an up-land area. The river Godavari is flowing on the North and the river Krishna is flowing on the South in Telangana region. Apart from the major rivers, there are other small rivers such as Bhima, Dindi, Kinnerasani, Manjeera, Manair, Penganga, Praanahita, and Peddavagu and Taliperu. In erstwhile Hyderabad State, medium projects, like Pocharam, Dindi, Palair, Vyra, Manair, Khanapur were constructed apart from Nizamsagar Project, which was completed in 1924-31. It was envisioned to utilize 58 TMC water to irrigate 2,75,000 acres of land in Nizamabad District. The total permitted utilization of water under Godavari and Krishna for Telangana region in erstwhile Hyderabad State was under 951 MOU. The following given table shows the River Basin with projects existing, under execution and contemplated. GODAVARI BASIN : EXISTING Total TMC 1. Nizamsagar Project 58.00TMC 2. Medium Projects 60.00TMC 3. Minor Projects 35.00 TMC 153.00
TMC UNDER EXECUTION Total TMC 1. Godavari Basin 364.00 TMC 2. Kadam 53.00 TMC 3. Lower Manair 12.00 TMC 4. Devanoor 27.0 TMC
465TMC CONTEMPLATED
1. Ichampally Project
32.00 TMC TOTAL 609.00 TMC KRISHNA BASIN :
EXISTING
Total TMC 1. Rajoli Banda
15-90TMC
2. Medium Projects
36-10 TMC 3. Miner Projects 90.80 TMC
142.00 TMC UNDER EXECUTION
1. Nagarjunsagar left canal
161.00 TMC 2. Tungabhadra left canal 19.00 TMC 180.00 TMC CONTEMPLATED 1. Upper Krishna Project 54.40 TMC
2. Bhima 100.60 TMC
155.00 TMC
Total
322.00 TMC
(TOTAL TMC OF WATER FOR GODAVARI AND KRISHNA
BASIN is 931.00 TMC) After the formation of the state of Andhra Pradesh, the proposed projects under Godavari, Krishna basin were not implemented. Also the water resources were diverted to the Andhra region. Server projects envisaged under Godavari delta basin were ignored and Devnoor project was completely removed. The Pochampad project was sanctioned under pressure from Telangana leadership, but the entire water utilization under Godavari was now reduced from 400 TMC to 112 TMC. The reservoir capacity was finally sanctioned for storing 82 TMC of water. With this capacity, the Godavari valley projects irrigation is now reduced to 10.25 lakh acres from 40 lakh acres. Many projects sanctioned could not be implemented properly even after four decades of formation of Andhra Pradesh. Usually the allocation of water is based on the available
water in catchment area and the land available for irrigation. Under
the Nagarjuna Sagar Project's left canal, 161 TMC of water should
have been allocated, but only 82 TMC of water is available for irrigation.
The water allocation to the Andhra
Pradesh state was 1480 TMC under Godavari basin and 856 TMC under
Krishna basin. By looking at the ground facts, it is obvious that
how much disparity has been shown on Telangana region. The given
below are the facts of water allocation for Andhra and Telangana
regions from Godavari and Krishna rivers. The river Godavari flows for about 79%
of its catchment area in Telangana. Geographically about 70% of
Telangana land is suitable for irrigation. On this basis Telangana
region should get 70% (1036 TMC) allocation out of 1480 TMC and
the rest of 30% (144 TMC) only should have been allocated to Andhra
region. But the ground realities are quite different and shocking.
The water utilization under Godavari basin is about 760 TMC so far,
out of which 320 TMC of water is being diverted to Andhra region
as against 124 TMC. This resulted in diverting 281 TMC of water
from Telangana region to Andhra region. River Krishna is no different from river Godavari.
River Krishna flows for about 68.5% in the catchment area in Telangana
and 31.5% catchment in Andhra region. Only 37% of water
(266.8 TMC) is allocated to Telangana region against 68.5%. Where
as 500.1 TMC water is allocated to Andhra region. Only 27% of water
is available for cultivable lands in Telangana. It means 50% of
the Ayacut under Krishna basin in Telagana is not getting water. The following table which shows how
the total irrigated area in Telangana region decreased compared
to Andhra region from the year 1956 –97.
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