Hyderabad: The first phase of Thummilla Lift Irrigation Project, conceived and completed by the TRS Government, was inaugurated in Jugulamba Gadwal district on Saturday, and water gushed through the canals, amidst cheers from the villagers who came in large numbers to witness the happy event.
The completion of the project within a short time, has come as a shot in the arm to the ruling TRS party. The project would provide irrigation water to 55,000 acres under Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS). The first phase of the project was completed within a record time of ten months. Now, 56,500 acres would get water for the first time this year.
It may be recalled that while 15.9 tmc of water was allocated to the erstwhile Mahaboobnagar District under RDS, Telangana was not given more than 5.5 tmc during the past 15 years. As a result of this, out of the proposed ayacut of 87,500 acres, nearly 30,000 acres was only irrigated till now. All these years, the farmers of seven villages in Gadwal and 67 villages in Alampur taluk have suffered much, and famine gripped the area all these years.
With the inauguration of the project, the 5.5 MW pump house became operational 12 hours after the dry run. It may be noted here that the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao had directed the officials to take up the project and complete it. As far as the second phase of the project is concerned, officials said that land acquisition for the project was almost completed, and reservoirs were being constructed. (NSS)
