It is a do-or-die situation on the irrigation front in Rayalaseema as irrigation projects in Rayalaseema region, parts of Nellore and Prakasam districts will not get a drop of water and the projects will remain unfulfilled if the State is bifurcated, Rayalaseema Karmika Karshaka Samithi president Ch. Chandrasekhar Reddy asserted on Sunday.
Addressing fasting cooperative directors and members in Kadapa, he said Telugu Ganga, Galeru Nagari, Handri Neeva and KC Canal in Rayalaseema region, Veligonda in Prakasam district and Somasila reservoir in Nellore district would be bereft of water if the Brajesh Kumar Tribunal final verdict comes. Construction of Polavaram and Dummugudem projects will be stalled if the State is bifurcated. Areas where groundwater is not available at 600 ft. do not have any irrigation projects, but areas having groundwater at 50 to 60 ft. depth have projects and canals, he said.
While Bachawat Tribunal estimated 2,132 tmc water availability with 75 per cent dependability, the Brajesh Kumar Tribunal estimated availability of 2,293 tmc with 65 per cent dependability. The Brajesh Kumar Tribunal calculated the surplus water and allotted 45 tmc to Andhra Pradesh, 72 tmc to Karnataka and 46 tmc to Maharashtra, he said. The only project in the State which was allotted six tmc was Jurala project, while all the projects in Karnataka were allotted assured water.