Kadapa farmers blame water management for deepening drought

The concerns come amid heightened scrutiny of water availability across Andhra Pradesh. Srisailam, a key reservoir in the Krishna river system, has faced significant fluctuations in inflows this season, making water management increasingly contentious.

Farmers in Kadapa argue that better planning and timely release of available water could have provided relief to drought-affected areas. They have expressed concern over crop prospects and the availability of irrigation water as rainfall remains inadequate in several parts of the region.

The issue also comes against the backdrop of an ongoing dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana over the utilisation of Srisailam water. The Krishna River Management Board recently advised both states to use available reservoir water judiciously, with drinking-water requirements receiving priority.

Telangana has maintained that supplying drinking water through the Nagarjuna Sagar system is its priority, while Andhra Pradesh has raised concerns over water drawals and sought restrictions on hydel generation at Srisailam.

For Kadapa, the availability of Krishna water is particularly important to irrigation systems such as Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi and other linked reservoirs. The recently commissioned first phase of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project is also designed to bring Srisailam floodwaters to drought-prone areas, including parts of Kadapa, and is expected to irrigate 1.19 lakh acres.

Farmers are now seeking more effective water management and timely utilisation of available resources, saying prolonged uncertainty could further aggravate agricultural distress in the drought-prone district.