Harish Rao Calls CM KCR To Share Gajwel Paddy Farmers' Plight

Gajwel: With mercury levels soaring, agricultural lands are at the receiving end for the lack of proper irrigation water supply. Without water, the crops are drying up. Many farmers in Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao's constituency of Gajwel are in trouble. It was due to this situation that TRS leader and Finance Minister Harish Rao, who is also the man behind Telangana's Mission Bhagirathi Scheme called on Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday.

The farmers of the Koodavelli Wagu watershed explained their problem to Harish Rao who came to inaugurate a peanut buying center at Gajwel Market Yard on Sunday.

Responding immediately, he went to the Kaleswaram canal at Kodakandla along with other leaders and officials, including Vanteru Pratapreddy, chairman of the State Forest Development Corporation, who was aware of the possibility of flooding through the Kodakandla dam.

It was found that the problem would be solved if the canal that carries water from Mallanna Sagar to Konda Pochamma Reservoir was closed. The farmers told Harish Rao that their difficulties would be solved by changing that water flow.

Harish Rao himself brought the matter to the attention of CM KCR. The Telangana FM phoned the CM and explained to him the situation in the presence of the farmers.

"Hello, CM sir, I am Harish speaking. Farmers are demanding the release of Godavari waters into the Koodavelli canal and Kaleswaram canal in Kodakandla, Siddipet district. Due to the scorching sun, the water levels in the boreholes, and in the catchment areas of the brook have dropped and 11,000 acres of paddy fields are drying up during the harvest season. If you allow, we will leave the waters of Godavari from the Kodakandla canal and fill the brook. It is possible to pump 500 knots of water per day into the estuary," said Harish Rao to KCR on the phone.

He added, "This will fill 36 check dams in Gajwel and Dubbaka constituencies and increase the groundwater level so that boreholes can pump plenty of water. With this, the crops will be harvested."

The Chief Minister is said to have responded positively to this request. "Harish, go ahead, our government's goal is to protect farmer's crops. Do these things immediately, and release the water into the creek through the canals," KCR is said to have ordered Harish Rao.

KCR also suggested filling the Chebarti large pond through the Gajwel canal and diverting the waters of the Godavari into the rest of the Koodavelli estuary. "Doing so would solve the problem," the CM is believed to have told Harish Rao. The problem was explained to the CM via a phone call from Harish Rao.

The sector is preparing for the release of water on Tuesday morning with KCR giving the green signal. Through this, 7 check dams in the Jagadevpur zone, 7 in the Gajwel zone, 8 in Thoguta, 10 in Miruddi, and 5 in Dubbaka will be fully filled.

As a result, 11,000 acres on the right and left in the Koodavelli catchment area of Gajwel and Dubbaka constituencies in Siddipet district have been given the opportunity to cultivate and harvest paddy successfully. 

On the plea of Harish Rao, the CM directed officials to start work immediately. Authorities were advised to provide irrigation water to the farmers.

On the orders of the CM KCR, the canal leading from Mallannasagar to the Kondapochamma reservoir is being drained. From there, water is supplied through the Koodavelli brook. Thus, thousands of acres in Gajwel and Dubbaka constituencies will be irrigated.

The farmers were happy that Harish Rao had taken the initiative to call the CM in their presence to address the issue of paddy suffocation in 11,000 acres of agricultural land.

The farmers thanked Harish Rao and CM KCR for bringing immediate resolution to their problem. Farmers are excited that their hardships will soon be over.