tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3778570096826367144.post8855279463400804608..comments2024-03-28T16:09:44.638+05:30Comments on Ground Reality: Multi-purpose irrigation projects in Andhra Pradesh: The grandiose 'Jal Yagna' is actually 'Jal Magna'Devinder Sharmahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05867902048509662981noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3778570096826367144.post-23980953476227892142010-06-04T21:38:33.087+05:302010-06-04T21:38:33.087+05:30I am sure you will realise that the 'Jal Yagna...I am sure you will realise that the 'Jal Yagna' scheme that Andhra Pradesh is pushing aggressively is actually a 'Jal Magna' programme where a few people involved.Combined Cycle Power Planthttp://www.tectrapro.com/index.htmlnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3778570096826367144.post-86074189630522874422010-06-04T17:18:15.011+05:302010-06-04T17:18:15.011+05:30Namaskar,
It is a fact that we are using groundw...Namaskar,<br /> <br />It is a fact that we are using groundwater for irrigation without sufficiently compensating. The traditional tanks disappearing fast with urban growth and political vote bank culture, pollution. As a result already the central ground water department declared several basins in India as over exploited, critically exploited and semi-critically exploited and safe. In Andhra Pradesh only around 61% micro-basins are safe in 2004 and now this may be far less. The safe areas are mainly located in areas with canal irrigation and those that are in rainfed areas are in critical position, in fact in Andhra Pradesh still 60% of the area is under rainfed that is at the mercy of Rain God -- while around 3 to 4 thousand TMC of water entering the river from the two main rivers on an average.The data suggested that with the depletion of groundwater farmers are going deep and deeper and as a result, the area cultivated under a pump has gone down from<br />2.5 acres to 0.5 acres on an average and at the same time power consumption going up to cultivate the same area. Since 1980 the bore-well culture entered as cheap power from Hydropower projects. The Andhra Pradesh government allocated Rs. 4500 crores in its 2010-11 budget as agriculture power subsidy component.In addition, these farmers get heavy fertilizer subsidy (growing two or more crops in a year) and loans/veivers, etc.Finally the produced grains are illegally exported by businessmen without benefiting the farmer or government.With the organic farming we can bring down the subsidy component and thereby we can get healthy food, our health bills will come down.By building multipurpose dams, can do the duel role by arresting water entering into sea and improve the groundwater this is already researchers showed the amount of increase in groundwater in dry areas after canal irrigation. What is the difference between<br />government giving subsidy to agriculture power component that is not sure how long it sustains and spending the amount in building dams?<br /><br />There area areas where there is either no ground water or even if it is there is is saltish.Do we deprive such farmers getting irrigation to improve their livelihood? Think it over!!<br /><br />Thanks<br /><br />Dr. S. Jeevananda Reddy<br />(from WaterWatch)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3778570096826367144.post-12319139443045374102010-06-04T14:57:21.791+05:302010-06-04T14:57:21.791+05:30sir,
i am from a village in tiruvannamalai distri...sir,<br /> i am from a village in tiruvannamalai district.Beautiful small river is running.Still beautiful except no sand and a new dam built.i want to know the means of stopping sand mining in our river.Please help meUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06499247680970518864noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3778570096826367144.post-45232499387246308212010-06-04T11:35:36.124+05:302010-06-04T11:35:36.124+05:30Three issues are paramount to generate respect for...Three issues are paramount to generate respect for the water cycle. First and foremost, it is indeed a welcome change to notice amends in Mihir Shah's 'hydroschizophrenia'. Mihir had championed the cause of creating the non-functional apex body that succumbed to her birth pangs. Mihir must learn to respect our historical narratives instead of going to Australia to convince planners and policy makers to respect the water cycle. Why are we shying away, in this milieu, from recognising, respecting and involving the elected members of the panchayats (73rd Constitution amendment)? Grassroots planning should not be reduced to a mere slogan or rhetoric. For instance, take a cursory look at the available district agriculture development (DAD) plan mandated under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) of say Punjab and Haryana. Neither water cycle nor PRI s get even a footnote space. Incidentally, the Planning Commission is responsible for designing and developing the distric planning template as well as sitting on the funds sanctioning committee . Any wonder the rural folks call these a "dead" plan.<br />Secondly, the reinforcement of 'hydroschizophrenia' is clearly manifested in the Indo-US joint agreement called ‘Knowledge Initiative in Agriculture' (KIA) to which Planning Commission is a willing partner.<br />Third, history of watersheds in conjunction with the cropping pattern cannot be forgotten if India has to make any modicum of difference to a thirsty nation and parched fields.<br /><br />with best wishes,<br />Prof. J. GeorgeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com