Soon after the formation of Telangana State, Siddipet district got a special place and treatment as it was represented by Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao and his nephew and Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao.
Allegations being made by land oustees across the district notwithstanding, Siddipet is going to have as many as five irrigation reservoirs — Gouravelli, Anantagiri, Ranganaiksagar, Mallannasagar and Kondapochamma. All these projects would store as much as 79.9 tmcft water irrigating as many as 8 lakh acres — one tmcft is estimated to irrigate about 10,000 acres.
Eight lakh acres
Gouravelli reservoir would be coming up in the border of Karimnagar and Siddipet districts at Gudatipally village in Akkannapet mandal of Husnabad division in about 4,000 acres, with a capacity to store 8.26 tmcft water. Anantagiri reservoir, located in Sircilla district but spread over part of Siddipet district as well, would have a capacity to store 3.5 tmcft. About 80% of the project is already complete and balance is expected to be to be completed this month, it is expected to irrigate 30,000 acres in Siddipet and Karimangar districts.
Ranganaik Sagar project with a capacity of three tmcft and being built at an estimated cost of ₹ 490 crore is coming up just three km from the district headquarters. “About 80% of the project is already completed. The project works are expected to be completed this month and canal works by March next year,” Superintendent Engineer K. N. Anand said. The reservoir is expected to irrigate 1.1 lakh acres.
Major reservoir
Mallannasagar reservoir, with a capacity of 50 tmcft and being built at an estimated cost of ₹ 7,200 crore is coming up in Kondapaka and Toguta mandals. The reservoir was expected to irrigate about 28.16 lakh acres.
The Kondapochamma reservoir being constructed in Gajwel constituency with a capacity of 15 tmcft is coming up at an estimated cost of ₹ 1,600 crore. About 4,600 acres land was acquired for this project to irrigate about 2.85 lakh acres.
Gravity flow
“The location for Mallannasagar project was selected since it is at a higher contour compared to other places. The same was the reason for other projects as well. This will allow supply of irrigation water through gravity,” said an irrigation engineer.