Former minister Harish Rao writes to Uttam for water for Yasangi farmers

 

Siddipet: Former Minister T Harish Rao on Sunday wrote to Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy appealing to him to lift 1TMCft of water into the Ranganayaka Sagar at Chandlapur near Siddipet district to meet the needs of farmers in the Yasangi season.

As summer was setting in, farmers in Siddipet, Gajwel and Dubbak constituencies were finding it difficult to protect their crops as bore wells too were going dry. During the same period last year, the reservoir was brimming with water as sufficient water was lifted calculating the needs of the district, Harish Rao said.

Pointing out that the BRS government had always ensured that the reservoir had enough water during the last four years, Harish Rao said the Congress government was apathetic towards the struggles of farmersto save their crops. Farmers were seen getting new bores drilled besides desilting open wells. This would push the farmers into a debt trap as they were forced to spend thousands of rupees additionally during this Yasangi season.

The former Minister also demanded the release of water from Mallanna Sagar and to improve the storage in Anantha Sagar to 1 TMCft. The BRS would launch protests to support the farmers unless the government responds, he added.