Update on Jurala project

Farmers under the ayacut of Priyadarshini Jurala Project and all lift irrigation schemes constructed on the project, are all smiles as Krishna water released by Karnataka finally started flowing into Palamuru region.

While farmers and farm labourers were busy ploughing their fields and transplanting paddy saplings, fishermen community was busy catching fish and selling in the villages which lie on the banks of Krishna River.Fishermen were busy packing boxes with fish of various varieties to be sent to Hyderabad on Friday. For tourists, the price was half that was charged in the market.There are many stalls at the project site where fresh fish is cooked and served, making this project a sought after tourist destination during monsoon.Tourist started visiting Jurala Project from nearby villages and towns so that they could witness the filling of the project to its brim.

Boiled and roasted groundnut sellers, ice cream vendors and other small time vendors and hawkers were seen selling their products to tourists. “As far as I can remember, I haven’t seen the project full from a long time. As long as water will flow, tourists will keep coming and business will be good,” said Venkatamma, a tea and snack stall owner near the project site.By 3 pm on Friday, there was an inflow of 1,82,000 cusecs into Jurala and an outflow of 1,82,456 cusecs. Around 431 cusecs were released into the right canal, 500 cusecs were released into the left canal and 1,200 cusecs into the Jurala parallel canal. Around 1,44,050 cusecs were released through spillway.

Around 2,250 cusecs for Netempadu Lift Irrigation Scheme, 1,300 cusecs for Bhima Phase-I Lift Irirgation Scheme, 1,500 cusecs for Bhima Phase-II Lift Irrigation Scheme and 630 cusecs for Koilsagar Lift Irrigation Project, were released on Friday. Four units of powerhouse kept generating power utilising 32,000 cusecs of water.On Friday, 15 gates were opened to release water downstream. Irrigation officials are expecting another two lakh cusecs of water to reach the project by Saturday.

As per the directions of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao, water was being released as and when it was coming. The lifts kept working simultaneously to supply water to various lift irrigation schemes completed after formation of Telangana. This was done to ensure all reservoirs and tanks were filled as soon as the initial water came. This would ensure maximum utilisation of water during Kharif season, according to irrigation officials.