Godavari water released from SRLIP’s first pump house

To prevent withering of standing crops in the ayacut of the Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) zone II in the erstwhile Khammam district, Godavari water has been released from the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project (SRLIP)’s first pump house at BG Kothuru village in Bhadradri Kothagudem district on Saturday.

According to official sources, the decision has been taken to release water from the SRLIP’s first pump house following representations made by several farmers’ organisations to save the standing crops in the ayacut under the NSP left canal system, citing early sowing of crops in the current kharif season.

The associations representing the NSP ayacutdars sought immediate release of Godavari water to protect the standing crops as Krishna water from the Nagarjunasagar dam is yet to reach the NSP zone II.

Sources added that Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao apprised Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy of the situation following which the latter issued direction to the officials to release water from the SRLIP’s first pumphouse.

The trial run of the SRLIP first pump house was conducted successfully in June last year.

The State government has laid special focus on the SRLIP to complete the project on a fast-track mode.