Plans afoot to bring 2.5L acre under irrigation

Srikakulam: New irrigation projects are required to provide more irrigation facility to farm lands in Srikakulam district. According to Vamsadhara project, officials, the total available land for cultivation is 7.75 lakh acres. Of the 7.75 lakh acres, irrigation facility is available for one crop during kharif season for paddy and other crops is 4.50 lakh acres. Remaining 3.25 lakh acres of land is not covered under irrigated water facility.

"With available water facility, the farmers are cultivating agriculture and horticulture crops in an extent of 4.50 lakh acres, out of 7.75 lakh acres of land," joint director for agriculture K Ch Appala Swamy told to The Hans India.

Irrigation water is provided from Thotapalli, Madduvalasa reservoir, Gotta barrage, Narayanapuram anicut and other minor irrigation projects to cultivate 4.50 lakh acres of agricultural lands during kharif season.

"In addition to existing irrigation facility, we are planning to cover another 2.50 lakh acres by linking Bahuda river with Vamsadhara river," said Vamsadhara project superintendent engineer M Surendra Reddy to this newspaper.

"To cover another 75,000 acres of land, we are proposing projects in Agency area also," the SE added. "We are proposing to cover 2.30 lakh acres of land during rabi season by encouraging farmers to cultivate irrigated dry (ID) crops," District Collector J Nivas told to The Hans India. To fulfill this aim at least 12 TMC feet of water is required from ongoing Hira reservoir on Vamsadhara project.