Warangal: Uncertainty over irrigation water availability has emerged as a key concern for farmers across the erstwhile Warangal region, with paddy and cotton cultivation progressing at a slower pace in several parts during the current kharif season.Farmers in Narsampet (Warangal), Palampet (Mulugu), Devaruppula (Jangaon) and other areas have taken up paddy transplantation and are awaiting adequate water supply from major irrigation tanks. Cultivators said that water is not available on time and they are staring at financial losses.Farmer Kothuru Rami Reddy from Narsampet said Pakala Lake currently has around 26 ft of water against its full reservoir level of 32 ft, which he believes is sufficient to support irrigation if managed effectively.According to official data, the Ramappa ayacut covers 5,180 acres. Of this, cotton has been sown in around 800 acres this season, while cultivation in the remaining ayacut is under other crops or yet to be taken up. Across Warangal district, paddy has been cultivated on 1,35,048 acres out of the total cultivable area of 2,93,341 acres. In contrast, the remaining area is being brought under cultivation for vegetables and horticultural crops.In the Pakala ayacut, farmers have largely stayed away from paddy cultivation amid concerns over water availability. The irrigation network in the region depends on Pakala Lake, which serves about 30,000 acres, besides Rangaya Lake covering 1,900 acres and Madanna Lake irrigating around 2,500 acres.Cotton cultivation has also remained below expectations across the six districts of the erstwhile Warangal region. Against the target of 5,95,102 acres, sowing has been completed in only about 40% of the area, or nearly 2.38 lakh acres. The district-wise targets are: Jayashankar Bhupalpally (94,804 acres), Mulugu (24,692 acres), Mahabubabad (88,426 acres), Jangaon (1,81,820 acres), Warangal (1,22,201 acres) and Hanumakonda (83,159 acres).Officials have set a paddy cultivation target of around 11 lakh acres across the erstwhile Warangal region for the current kharif season. So far, nearly three lakh acres have been brought under paddy in Warangal, Mulugu, Mahabubabad and Jangaon districts, with the pace of cultivation expected to depend on rainfall and irrigation water availability in the coming weeks.
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