Minister Gottipati Ravikumar warns against counting floodwater as regular water allocation

Minister Gottipati Ravikumar has cautioned that counting floodwater released from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project as part of the state’s regular water allocation could lead to a loss of rightful water resources for the state.

Speaking at a meeting of the Irrigation Advisory Council held recently at the local Collectorate’s video conference hall, Ravikumar emphasized that floodwater is unpredictable and largely flows into the sea without benefiting farmers or meeting drinking water needs. Treating such water as permanent allocation, he said, exists only on paper and does not translate into actual usage on the ground.

“Counting floodwater in allocations reduces the share of genuine, dependable water, affecting downstream regions and limiting opportunities to build new water projects in the future,” Ravikumar explained. He added that such practices could be detrimental to the state’s long-term water management goals, as authorities may claim that “water is sufficient” even when it isn’t.

Ravikumar also urged authorities to collect irrigation fees from farmers to improve canal maintenance and recommended introducing mobile lift devices and modern transformers to enhance irrigation infrastructure.

District Collector Kritika Shukla said the administration would use Disaster Management funds to prevent water loss from seepage in reservoirs. She added that up to ₹60 lakh could be sanctioned for these measures.

The meeting was attended by Ministerial Whip V.G. Anjaneyulu, MP Lavu Srikrishna Devarayalu, and other officials.