C. Sarvotham Rao

Telangana region with a geographic area of 1,15,000 sq.km. (1.15 lakh) supports a population of about 300 lakhs (2001 A.D.). More than half the area, (58,000 sq.km.) is above an elevation of 1000 ft., Mean Sea Level (M.S.L.). The cultivable area is about 27 million acres, of which more than 14 million acres are above 1000 ft. M.S.L. Irrigation from both Godavari and Krishna rivers is not possible because of this high elevation.

For centuries agriculture in these uplands was dependent mostly on natural rain fall. The average annual rainfall, varies between 800-900 mm spread over 90-100 days. Farmers in each of the water sheds constructed a chain of Tanks and Kuntas (Small ponds) one below the other (across the contours) from the ridge to the valley. Enough rain water was harvested in most of these water bodies to provide irrigation even for two agriculture crops. The extent of cultivable area under most of the tanks, or kuntas varies between 5 to 20 acres. Under some tanks, Tube and Irrigation wells were excavated and water used for cultivation.

The villagers concerned maintained these water bodies, under the guidance of the village officers. The silt was removed every year and the inlet and outlet water channels properly repaired. In 1955-56, a total area of over 12 lakh acres was under cultivation, under these village tanks and kuntas. After the formation of Andhra Pradesh, this age old system of irrigation was neglected, as these Tanks could not qualify to be included even under minor irrigation sources. No alternative method was put in place to desilt the tank beds, repair the inlet and outlet water channels and maintain the water bodies. The result was that many of these tanks and kuntas were breached, or silted and even encroached providing no storage space for the rainwater.

The status by 2000-01 was that only about 5 to 10 thousand partially useful water bodies remained. The bigger tanks in the valley, could be maintained as minor or medium irrigation sources. However only about 5 lakh acres continue to be irrigated with difficulty under these water bodies.

Thus in the last 50 years, gradually over 7 lakh acres were lost to agricultural production, causing an annual economic loss of about Rs. 940 crores to rural economy (at Rs. 1,200/- an acre). At 10 mandays of employment per acre about 70 lakh mandays, of potential rural employment is lost annually. At Rs. 90/- per manday, a total of Rs. 630 crores of cash-flow into the rural households has dried up, causing immense social unrest and misery to rural population. What needs to be noted is that this employment opportunity was spread over the entire rural area of more than 58,000 sq. km. of these uplands. The loss of water bodies resulted in non-availability of water and cattle fodder, resulting in large scale migration of rural labour to urban areas, for employment.

Restoration of these tanks and ponds can once again generate rural employment and stop further migration of rural people. With political will, this restoration can be done with in 2 to 3 years and at reasonable cost, under the Food for work programme, where five kg of food grains (mainly rice) and Rs. 10/- cash, is payable per each cubic metre of earth work. Efforts should be made to bring 7 lakh acres again, under agricultural production and restore the ecological prosperity.

These village tanks can provide drinking water and cattle fodder and improve the ground water resources of the rural areas. Most of the Tamarind, Neem, Babul and other trees, useful in rural economy, need to be replanted as almost all such trees have been gradually felled and removed over these years.

It is unfortunate that no purposeful efforts have been made to look into this aspect of the problems of Telangana uplands. There is need to provide for future annual maintenance, under a regular system for these micro-irrigation sources, which form part of the rural ecology of Telangana uplands.

Note:

The area in 1955-56 under Major & Minor irrigation was about 2,83,400 acres in Telangana. After spending lakhs of rupees on new irrigation projects during the last 50 years only an addition of 4,23,500 acres has been made. Which is much less than the 7 lakh acres which went out of cultivation due to neglect of the administration.

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