Kakinada Board Approves Godavari Water Diversion to Resolve Yeleru Irrigation Deficit

Emergency Water Management for Kharif Operations

The Kakinada District Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB) formally resolved on Tuesday to initiate a large-scale water diversion from the Godavari River to the Yeleru reservoir. The move aims to sustain 53,000 acres of agricultural land in Kakinada district during the current Kharif season. District Collector M.N. Harendhira Prasad confirmed that the state will employ the Purushottapatnam Lift Irrigation Scheme, which connects to the upstream Polavaram project, to facilitate this transfer.

Current data reveals a significant supply-demand mismatch in the Eastern Godavari Delta. Kakinada Member of Parliament Tangella Uday Srinivas reported that while local operations require 14 TMC of water, only 8.2 TMC is currently accessible. To manage immediate needs, authorities will release 1,000 cusecs from the Yeleru reservoir’s dead storage level prior to the arrival of the Godavari diversion.

Infrastructure and Regulatory Oversight

The irrigation strategy focuses heavily on the assembly segments of Pithapuram, Peddapuram, and Jaggampeta. In an effort to optimize remaining resources, Water Resources Department Engineer-In-Chief K. Narasimha Murthy advised cultivators to transition toward short-duration crops rather than standard paddy. Supporting these logistics, MLC Pidugu Hariprasad noted that Deputy Chief Minister and Pithapuram MLA K. Pawan Kalyan has authorized ₹3 crore to fund lift irrigation scheme operations.

Collector Harendhira Prasad also addressed concerns regarding unauthorized resource consumption. The district administration plans to formalize inspections following allegations that the Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) and Reliance groups have engaged in illegal water diversion. "We will prevent such incidents and intensify vigilance to ensure tail-end areas receive their share," Prasad stated during a post-meeting press conference.

Regional Coordination in Konaseema

Parallel efforts are underway in the Dr. B. R. Ambedkar Konaseema District. Collector R. Mahesh Kumar, chairing the local IAB, outlined an action plan to stabilize supply for the Central Godavari Delta. Records indicate that 9.7 TMC of water has circulated through the Central Delta since May 31 to support regional Kharif production and maintain consistency for downstream farms.

• Diversion Route: Purushottapatnam Lift Irrigation Scheme (Polavaram link).
• Total Beneficiary Area: 53,000 acres across Kakinada.
• Storage Deficit: 5.8 TMC gap between current levels and requirements.
• Financial Allocation: ₹3 crore for lift irrigation maintenance.

Source: The Hindu — Home