After the initial sluggishness, the cultivation of Yasagni (Rabi) crops in Telangana has gained momentum during the last fortnight despite the lack of water in most of the reservoirs in the Krishna Basin. Farmers went ahead with raising crops with the help of groundwater.
Driven by the transplantation of paddy in about 16.43 lakh acres as on January 10, the extent of Rabi crops’ cultivation has reached about 48% of the season’s normal (54.93 lakh acres) – 26.18 lakh acres. Last year, the extent covered on the same date was 25.94 lakh acres, including paddy in 15.68 lakh acres.
According to Agriculture department officials, Rabi crops were raised in a record 72.63 lakh acres last year, including paddy in 56.45 lakh acres. Reaching a similar extent this crop season was not possible given the fact that water for irrigation for the second crop was ruled out already under Nagarjunasagar, Jurala and several other irrigation systems in the Krishna Basin.
The Irrigation department authorities have already ruled out the possibility of giving water to the second crop in the command areas of Jurala, Nagarjunasagar canal systems and other irrigation systems drawing water from the two projects. While the Bhima, Nettempadu and Koilsagar lift irrigation schemes draw water from Jurala, Kalwakurthy LIS draws water from Srisailam. Similarly, A. Madhava Reddy Project lifts water from Nagarjunasagar.
Due to lack of water in Jurala, Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar, dependence on groundwater drawal is higher this season. The average groundwater table has fallen by about 1.5 metres (1.47 metres to be precise) in December 23 (6.8 metres below ground level) compared to December 2022 (5.32 metres). In just a month’s time, between November and December last year, the groundwater table has depleted by 0.56 metres.
“Drawal of groundwater would be more intense over the next couple of months as Rabi crops such as paddy, maize, groundwater and sunflower would be raised under borewells to a large extent, although crops such as Bengal gram and jowar would be raised without any irrigation in parts of combined Medak, Rangareddy and Mahabubnagar districts,” a deputy director said.
During the first 10 days of January, the day-wise consumption of energy in the State was 245.65 million units (highest) as against 234.47 million units last year.
For info-box:
No water for irrigation in Krishna Basin
Poor inflows into Nagarjunasagar this water year helped get it only 105 tmc ft
As on January 11, NSP has only 154.06 tmc ft water with 522.60 ft level capacity storage of 312.50 tmc ft and FRL of 590 ft
On the same day last year, the storage was 273.27 tmc ft and level at 576.60 ft
In 2015-16, water was not given to both Kharif and Rabi crops under Left Canal, which mostly serves Telangana areas (6.81 lakh acres out of 10.38 lakh acres)
Water was also not given for Rabi under Left Canal in 2001-02, 2002-03, 2003-04 and 2009-10
The Left Canal ayacut did not get water for Kharif crop in 2009-10 and 2012-13 too
Water for 2017-18 Kharif crop was also given only for 2 wettings due to delayed inflows
