I.       Introduction

Water is a precious gift of nature to m  ankind and is one of the essential elements to sustain life and important input in socio-economic development of the country.  Agriculture, power, industry, livelihood, social welfare and recreation all depend upon this input.  Availability of water and development of water resource facility enabled the development of different regions.  Regions lacking such development remained underdeveloped and infact have degraded their natural resources.  Mahaboobnagar is a classic example of such situation.U

Mahaboobnagar is the largest district the top three larger districts in Andhra Pradesh in terms of the spread, with geographical area of 18.4 Lakh hectares.  The entire district is covered under Krishna River Basin.  The river Krishna with its tributaries Bheema and Tungabhadra enters in to Andhra Pradesh in Mahaboobnagar district.  However, the percentage of irrigation potential to cultivable area is 11.4% only and to the geographical area it is less than 5%.  The normal rainfall was 650mm it fell to 534 mm being among the lowest three districts in the state.  At present a combination of factor failed rainfall alternate year and overtapping of ground water, resulted in ground water levels falling from 3 to 25 metres in 97% of the area.  With a string of minor irrigation structures this district suffered from official apathy, leading to decimation of its resources.  Further irrigation investments have not been commensurate with its area, potential and contribution to the Krishna River.  The rights of the people in this District over the Krishna waters have not been recognized widely.  It is high time that Mahaboobnagar perennially in the grip of desertification and continuous drought, is the destination for priority Irrigation investments.  There are highly conducive conditions for such development, except that it needs political will and political will alone.

It is now well established the fact that the district of Mahaboobnagar is the most backward in all respects.  No less a Persian than Bachawat in his order on sharing of Krishna water observed.

“That the state of Andhra Pradesh no doubt, has been allocated enough water for historical reasons, but still Telengana part of the State of Andhra Pradesh Stands in need of irrigation.  The area of Mahaboobnagar district formed part of Hyderabad state and had there been no division of state, there where better chances for the residents of this area to get irrigation facilities in Mahaboobnagar district.  We are of the opinion that this area should not be deprived of the benefits of irrigation on account of the re-organizations of state”.

on stones for two of the projects and having allocated 20 TMC for Bhima and 2.61 TMC for Nettampad Lift Irrigation Scheme, nothing concrete has evolved till this day.  Every action of the Government has stopped at the G.O. stage.  We in the interest of the district have placed before you the above requests number of times.  We have traveled all over the district.  The people are thoroughly disillusioned and disappointed at the indifferent attitude of the State Government.  If nothing concrete takes place in the coming few months, the people of this district will be fully justified in believing that the solutions to our problem does not lie in the State of Andhra Pradesh.