Water release from TB dam to Andhra Pradesh riles farmers

A total of 1,488 cusecs and 363 cusecs of water were released through the high-level and low-level canals, respectively, of the Tungabhadra dam to Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday, triggering protests from farmers.

Usually, the reservoir gets filled up by August. But this time, like last year, it is yet reach its maximum capacity. This is because of the scanty rainfall in the catchment area. The inflow into the dam is also on the decline.  The storage in the reservoir on August 31 was 51.256 tmcft, while the same on the corresponding date last year was 76.453 tmcft.

The farmers said that water had not been released for the second crop last year. That being the case, it will be much more difficult this year. Yet, the government has released water to the neighbouring state, the farmers said.

J Karthik, general secretary of the district Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene, was sceptical of the government’s assurance that the water in the dam was enough to meet the demand for drinking for one year and also for the first crop.

Karthik told DH that it was doubtful whether the reservoir would fill up in the remainder of the rainy season, one month. However, the Tungabhadra Reservoir Administrative Board had released water, neglecting the interests of the farmers of the state, he said.

The farmers have warned that they would undertake an intense agitation if the release of water was not stopped. The Board, on its part, has defended the decision to release water. It said that the water was released as per the decision of the Irrigation Advisory Committee.