Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 14 : Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that groundwater levels can improve only when water resources are fully conserved.
The CM held a video conference from the state Secretariat with irrigation water users associations, district collectors, and government officials, as per the release.
Discussions focused on water management, delivering water to tail-end lands, and efficient water usage. Minister of Water Resources, Nimmala Rama Naidu, joined the meeting from Palakollu.
"The state must have 1,000 TMC of surface water, and groundwater levels must rise. We must turn the land into a water reservoir. Without groundwater, we would have to pump water from depths of a thousand feet, risking fluoride contamination and increasing electricity usage. Water users' associations must take responsibility for increasing groundwater levels. Currently, 40 lakh acres in the state depend on borewells. With 19 lakh borewells, the state spends Rs 8,250 crore on electricity to run them. By using groundwater efficiently, we can cut this cost by 50 per cent," the CM said.
"During the monsoon, groundwater should be available at a depth of 3 metres, and even after the season, it should not fall below 8 metres. If water is managed efficiently in this way, drought will never be an issue. Water users' associations are not just for extracting water; they must also take responsibility for conservation and groundwater recharge. In some riverbank districts, groundwater levels are not receiving enough attention. Groundwater must be increased in districts like East Godavari, Eluru, and Prakasam," the CM said.
The CM said, "Through efficient water management, we have been able to store water in the state's irrigation projects. Together, reservoirs and barrages have been filled to 82.29 per cent of capacity. The government has successfully diverted both incoming floodwaters and rainfall within the state to reservoirs. Using the Handri-Neeva project, we filled reservoirs in Rayalaseema. Going forward, we will focus on Velugonda, Uttarandhra, and Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi projects. Just as we retained water to fill reservoirs, we must also fill village tanks. Irrigation and field canals must be protected."
"Water users' associations must participate in maintaining tanks and canals. These associations were formed to ensure farmer participation. Large volumes of water from the Krishna and Godavari rivers are flowing into the sea. Some areas are experiencing rain and floods, while others still face drought-like conditions. The state has recorded a 17% rainfall deficit. In such conditions, every drop of water must be conserved. Water must be supplied to every region of the state and managed so that every acre gets water. Minor irrigation tanks must be filled completely. Across the state, 38,000 minor irrigation tanks have the capacity to store huge quantities of water. We established the water users' association system for farmers, for water management, and for conservation. These associations must work with the same spirit," he added.
"The water users associations must inspect the condition of tanks, canals, and check dams in the state. They will be assigned responsibility not just for ayacut areas but also for catchment areas. If any action is needed for water resource conservation, they must coordinate with officials. Any necessary repairs to tanks, canals, and check dams over the next 10-15 days must be completed swiftly. Rainwater during the monsoon should be stored in tanks. Canals must be desilted, field channels must be maintained properly, and floodwater must flow without obstruction. Setting up tanks and canals is important, but so is maintaining them," CM Naidu added.
"Under the previous government, even shutters and gates were not maintained properly, and contractors did not step forward to repair them. Such situations must never occur again. There should be no need for shutter repairs in the future. All tanks, locks, and canals must be inspected to ensure they are functioning properly. District-wise ratings will be given for water management. The engineering system in the irrigation department will be reorganised," the CM added in a release.
According to the release, senior officials from the Water Resources Department participated in the video conference from the state Secretariat.