Mission Kakatiya Saves: Flood impact on only 155 tanks, surplus water in 18,490
While studies have shown that Mission Kakatiya has helped in stabilising 13.81 lakh acres, the recent rain-induced floods have shown that strengthened bunds of thousands of water bodies saved many lives
HYDERABAD: The Telangana Government in 2015 launched Mission Kakatiya to bring back the lost glory of tanks built by Kakatiya kings to enhance the development of agriculture-based income for small and marginal farmers through sustainable irrigation sources.
Under this programme, restoration of 27,472 tanks was undertaken with people’s participation. The silt collected from the defunct tanks was used as fertile top-up soil for the agricultural fields, helping in improving soil health.
Strong bunds save villages
While studies have shown that Mission Kakatiya has helped in stabilising 13.81 lakh acres in the State, the recent rain-induced floods in many parts of the State have shown that strengthened bunds of thousands of water bodies saved many lives.
Out of the 31, 618 tanks in the State, only 155 tanks showed some kind of breach during the recent floods proving a point that the number of breached tanks has come down considerably after the formation of Telangana in 2014.
The number of breached tanks was 4,251 in 2010 under the combined rule, where Telangana’s water bodies were systemically damaged and encroached upon. The damaged tanks in 2011 were 393, 659 in 2012, 1868 in 2013 and 364 in 2014.
After the formation of the State and the launching of Mission Kakakitya in 2015, the number of damages started coming down. The number of tanks breached was on the higher side with 930 in 2016, 43 in 2017, 125 in 2018, 100 in 2019, 20 in 2020, five in 2021, 43 in 2022 and 155 in the current season.
Source: Irrigation Department, Telangana
Many tanks cross ‘Mathadi’
The rains also brought copious inflows into the minor irrigation tanks, seasonal streams, canals and check dams bringing joy to the farmers who depend on pumped irrigation and groundwater.
As per the latest tank filling report from the Irrigation Department 18,490 tanks out of a total of 34,618 tanks in the State received surplus water and were overflowing, 5,758 tanks filled upto 75-100 percent of their capacity, 3,192 tanks filled up 50-75 percent, 3,487 tanks upto 25-50 percent and 3,691 upto 25 percent.