The Mid Manair project (Sri Rajarajeshwara reservoir), which was brimming with water during the BRS regime, has turned dry under the Congress rule.
During the KCR regime, water was pumped from the Kaleshwaram Project through the Gayatri pump house to Mid Manair. From there, water flowed to various reservoirs such as Lower Manair and Kondapochamma Sagar, passing through the Annapurna reservoir and Upper Manair. This system, initiated in 2019, maintained full capacity until December 2023, sustaining agricultural activities and the livelihoods of the community.
However, the situation drastically shifted under the new government’s tenure. Despite previous government’s successful irrigation water supply, Mid Manair is now in dire straits, with water reserves depleted to a mere nine TMC. In the previous March, the reservoir had a water level of 23 TMC out of 27.5 TMC.
Even efforts to lift water to the Annapurna Reservoir have failed as the minimum water level of 10 TMC is not available at Mid Manair. Farmers, who were once reliant on the consistent water supply from Mid Manair, now face uncertainty due to the desertification of the reservoir’s surroundings.
In contrast to the BRS administration’s proactive approach to irrigation water supply, the Congress government’s reluctance to address Mid Manair’s plight raises concerns.