Tackling water scarcity via basin-to-basin transfer

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday called upon the 25th plenary of International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) to extensively debate the issue of water transfer during the rainy season from one basin to another to have water preservation and sustainable use. Addressing the plenary after inaugurating it along with the Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat here, he said that the State Government is committed to enhance the agricultural productivity by adopting the principle of ‘more crop for every drop’ enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“But Andhra Pradesh, being the lower riparian State for many rivers like Vamsadhara, Nagavali, Godavari, Krishna and Penna, it encounters water shortages during lean monsoon years and also havoc during floods due to intense rains in the catchment areas,” he said, adding that water transfer from one basin to another is the need of the hour.

Despite the State having nearly 40 major and minor rivers with rich heritage of agriculture and irrigation dating back to several centuries, Rayalaseema and western parts of south coast are frequently encountering droughts due to scanty rainfall impairing the living conditions of the people living in those areas, he remarked.

Experts may think of micro irrigation and sprinkler systems for effective use of water in agriculture but water transfer from one basin to another during the season of floods within a limited timeframe with a vibrant drainage and canal system in a cost-effective manner is the most debatable point, he said. Reddy asked the water management, drainage and irrigation experts to debate the issue and come out with practical recommendations. “Since you are debating the issue of tackling water scarcity in agriculture, you should discuss this,” he told them.