Vizianagaram / Srikakulam : 

After more than a decade, the farmers of the ayacut area of Thotapalli reservoir are overjoyed that their dreams of irrigating their lands would be finally realised. The much-delayed Thotapalli project, except for minor works, has been completed and the Irrigation Department is making arrangements to release the waters from the reservoir in the third week of July.

Thousands of farmers and their families of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts are excited about prospects of receiving Thotapalli reservoir waters to kick-start the kharif season. The farmers who come under the project ayacut have been suffering as there is no irrigation water to cultivate their fields. Depending on rainwater, some of the farmers who tried to cultivate their lands faced severe financial losses as rains eluded them in the peak season.

In order to provide irrigation water to about 1.24 lakh acres in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, the government had taken up the Thotapalli reservoir on the Nagavali river in 2003. The project timeline was five years and the estimated cost of the project was `450 crore. The cost later escalated to about `800 crore due to the abnormal delay in executing the project.

The district administration faced a tough time in acquiring 1,100 acres of land for the project. There were a series of agitations by land losers for relief and rehabilitation. After clearing several hurdles, the department completed all the construction works of the reservoir and its 117-km-long main canal.

According to the government’s assurance to the farmers, water from Thotapalli will be available for the 2015 kharif season. The irrigation officials, on a war-footing, completed the works to release the water in the third week of July.

“Pending minor works relating to the 29 distributary canals, four branch canals and two NH crossing works will be completed by July 2. The 117-km-long right main canal of the reservoir was completed except the tail-end 2 km. There is a railway crossing across the 2-km-long canal which will be completed next year. The department had already paid `4 crore to the Indian Railways. Under the Thotapalli project, water will be provided to 40,000 acres (original target was 62,000 acres) in Vizianagaram district and another 40,000 acres in Srikakulam district (aiming to provide 58,000 acres) this year,” said Tirumala Rao, Thotapalli project superintending engineer.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Andhra Pradesh / by VK Lakshmi Gayatri / June 30th, 2015