Farmers Stage Road Protest, Demand Kadem Dam Water till November 30

Farmers from Rampur and Thimmapur villages staged a road protest at Thimmapur village in Jannaram mandal on Thursday, demanding continued release of water from Kadem dam for agricultural purposes until November 30.

The protesting farmers expressed concern that paddy and other crops cultivated in the tail-end areas had reached the crucial booting stage. They said stopping irrigation water at this critical stage would severely damage standing crops and result in huge financial losses. Farmers warned that they would struggle to repay agricultural loans and could face a serious financial crisis.

They urged the government and Irrigation Department officials to reconsider the decision to stop agricultural water supply from November 7 and reserve the remaining water exclusively for drinking purposes. They warned that they would intensify their agitation if their demand was not considered.

A similar protest was staged by farmers of Chintaguda village on Wednesday. They demanded continued water supply to tail-end agricultural fields until December 5 to protect their crops from drying up. They later submitted a representation to Irrigation officials requesting an extension of water supply.

On November 3, Irrigation officials announced that water from the Kaddam Narayana Reddy project and Kadem dam would not be released for agricultural purposes from November 7, citing drinking water requirements for the upcoming summer and concerns over the El Niño weather pattern. The project currently holds water at 693.635 feet, with a storage capacity of 3.495 TMC.

During the 2023–24 drought situation in Telangana, inadequate rainfall and declining water availability affected agricultural activities in several districts, leaving farmers struggling with crop losses and mounting debts. Such experiences highlight the need for careful water management.

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