Thotapalli reservoir opens for kharif, to irrigate 84,000 acres
This move will also aid better water management, particularly benefiting the tail-end ayacut under the project. The reservoir was originally designed to provide irrigation to 1.31 lakh acres but has so far been able to cater to only 84,033 acres.
In Parvathipuram-Manyam district, out of 13,684 acres, irrigation is being provided to 5,238 acres; in Vizianagaram district, out of 78,563 acres, to 55,443 acres; and in Srikakulam district, out of the planned 38,974 acres, to 23,351 acres.
During kharif 2024, a total ayacut of 40,440 acres under canals and 13,133 acres under tanks were served in Vizianagaram district; 3,754 acres under canals and 2,269 acres under tanks in Parvathipuram Manyam district; and 14,415 acres under canals and 5,372 acres under tanks in Srikakulam district.
An ayacut of 64,000 acres was stabilised under the old canals and open head channels. For Kharif 2025, it is proposed to serve a total ayacut of about 84,033 acres under the new right main canal, in addition to the 64,000 acres of stabilisation under the old Thotapalli regulator ayacut.
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During 2024-25, the state govt sanctioned high-priority irrigation restoration works worth 4.7 crore for jungle clearance and removal of silt deposits in the RMC. These works are currently in progress. In 2025, 10 more works were sanctioned with a total amount of 67.6 lakhs for maintenance.
Speaking on the occasion, the minister said that due to the sacrifice of the Thotapalli farmers, the project has come up and is serving three districts.
She added that chief minister Chandrababu Naidu is willing to discuss the Janjhavathi and Kotia issues with the chief minister of Odisha. The Puranapadu-Labesu bridge is expected to be completed very soon, she added. She appealed to the sarpanches not to obstruct NREGA works and instructed officials to supply fertilisers to farmers in a timely manner.
Parvathipuram sub-collector and ITDA project officer Ashutosh Srivastava said the land issues for the project have been resolved. Some works have been sanctioned under MGNREGA for the project, he added. Any pending work would be resolved, he assured. He also mentioned that the reservoir is very suitable for tourism development and that plans are being considered.
Govt whip and Kurupam MLA Thoyaka Jagadeeswari, water resources superintending engineer KVN Swarna Kumar, Thotapalli executive engineer H Manmadha Rao, deputy EE Govinda Rao, Raghu attended the event.
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