Introduction of WRD in AP & its Development in India &AP set up, mandate and functions of various wings of WRD & Organ gram
(Dr I Satyanarayanayana Raju, Former Chief Engineer, CDO, Hyderabad, & Member, TAC-WRD, AP)
A. Introduction:
The erstwhile Andhra Pradesh is geographically spread in 2.75 lakh Sq Km and accounts for 8.4% of the total geographical area with a population over 80 million.A.P is basically agricultural predominant state and 75% of population depends on agriculture as their lively hood. So also the state is blessed with major rivers viz., Godavari, Krishna, Penna and Vamsadhara and other 36 medium and minor rivers flowing in the state.
On 2nd June 2014, the new Telangana state is formed as 29th state of India with the 10 districts of Telangana region and now the rest 13 districts of Coastal Andhra and Rayalaseema remained with residual AP. The Geographical area of this AP is 1, 60,205 Sq.km and population is 4.94 million. It got long coast line of 972km and annual rainfall ranges 1300-600mm.
B. Main Functions of Water Resources Department:
The main functions of the Department are:
1)Preparation and implementation of operation and maintenance plans for existing irrigation projects.
2)Improve water management and efficiency by the integrated and coordinated efforts by all line departments.
3)Stabilization of existing ayacut by rehabilitation of the age old projects.
4)Modernization of age old major and medium irrigation projects.
5)Flood management.
6)Restoration and maintenance of river flood banks.
7)Irrigation assessment and assessment of water royalty charges for industrial and other utilization.
8)Planning and design of irrigation systems.
9)Hydrological assessment of availability of water in the river basins including Water allocation to the irrigation and other purposes duly assessment of the water availability in the basin.
10) The exploration of new project commands.
11) Construction of new Projects.
12) Presentation of data and analysis on water availability, utilization of interstate river basins to respective tribunals.
C. Organisational set up of Water Resources Dept of Andhra Pradesh:
At Secretariat level, the policies, the administrative matters budget and financial matters are being dealt by Principal Secretaries and Secretaries with the assistance of Joint Secretaries etc. The Water Resources Department is headed by the Engineer-in-Chief (Administration) who is in charge of overall administration of the Water Resources Department. The Engineer-in-Chief is also advisor to the Government in all irrigation matters of the state and co-ordinate with all Chief Engineers.
At present the Engineer-in-Chief, PIP, is looking after the activities of Engineer-in-Chief (Irrigation) and Commissioner (Engineer-in-Chief) COT is looking after the post of Engineer-in-Chief (Administration) as only three numbers of Engineers-in-Chief posts were allocated to Andhra Pradesh during bifurcation.
There are 19 Chief Engineers functioning in the department including one Chief Engineer in the cadre of Joint Secretary.
The Superintending Engineer is in charge of a circle. The Superintending Engineers who are working under the concerned Chief engineers are the regional Officers in charge of a circle and their jurisdiction may cover more than one district in some cases. The executive Engineer is in charge of a Division in a district and is in charge of construction and maintenance of all Irrigation works in the division. The Deputy Executive Engineer is in charge of a Sub-Division and in charge of Construction and maintenance of Irrigation works under Sub Division Jurisdiction and works under the control of the Executive Engineer. The Assistant Executive Engineer/Assistant Engineer is in charge of the construction and maintenance of Irrigation works within the Section and works under the control of Deputy Executive Engineer.
The department is also having quality control, vigilance and enquiries organization in order to ensure the quality of work and to prevent and take necessary action on any corrupt practices.
Cadre Strength of the DepartmentSl.No. / Designation / Sanctioned Strength
1 / Engineers-in-Chief / 3
2 / Chief Engineers / 19
3 / Superintending Engineers / 51
4 / Executive Engineers / 267
5 / Deputy Executive Engineers / 943
6 / AEEs and Asst. Engineers / 3422
Engineering Cadre Total / 4705
7 / Non Technical Personal Assistant / 40
8 / Circle scale Technical Staff / 1430
9 / Circle scale Ministerial Staff / 7157
10 / Work charged Establishment / 4800
Grand Total / 18132
There are two independent Chief Engineers functioning to look after quality control of works in Rayalaseema, and Coastal Andhra regions. Almost all the major Projects are headed by an independent Chief Engineer in the state. There is one exclusive Chief Engineer for approving Designs of all Major, Medium and Minor Irrigation projects heading Central Designs Organization for entire state which is an apex authority for approval of designs of all Irrigation Projects in the state.
The Superintending Engineer is in charge of a circle. The Superintending Engineers who are working under the control of the Chief engineers are the regional officers in charge of a circle. Their jurisdiction covers one or more districts depending upon the technical work load, budget allotment, and magnitude of the Irrigation projects.
The Executive Engineer is in charge of a division in a district and looks after construction and maintenance of all Irrigation projects, works in a division. Where more Irrigation Projects are in existence either completed or ongoing there will be more than one division in each district.
Each Irrigation division comprises three or four sub divisions functioning and will be headed each by one Deputy Executive Engineer. The Deputy Executive Engineer is in charge of construction and maintenance of irrigation works under the sub division Jurisdiction and works under the control of the Executive Engineer. The Assistant Executive Engineer/Assistant Engineer is in charge of the construction and maintenance of irrigation works within the jurisdiction of one section and they are also called Section Officers. They all work under the control of the one Sub divisional Officer (Deputy Executive Engineer).
The above Engineers in various hierarchy are the back bone of the Irrigation Department and responsible to carry out the works of both maintenance and original project works. The government annually allots the budgets both for establishment and works and releases the finance on monthly and quarterly basis. The Executive Engineer is the expenditure controlling officer regulating the budget allotments and releases by the government.
The Hierarchy of Engineers will be supported by ministerial staff for establishment claims and maintenance of accounts. Also the erstwhile Draughts men now re-designated as Technical Officers assist in sanctioning of estimates, maintenance of contractual agreement and other allied technical issues.
The work charged establishment comprises Work Inspectors, Lascars, Watchmen, and Mazdoors to assist the Assistant Executive Engineer/Assist Engineer in irrigation works execution, water regulation, maintenance of Dams and Canals, and security of the public assets of department.
D. Central Designs Organizations (CDO)
CDO is an apex designs organization headed by one Chief Engineer to approve design of major, medium, minor irrigation, and Lift Irrigation projects in the state. The designs dealt by CDO includes Dam spill ways, NOF dams, Earth Dams, Barrages, Canal alignments and hydraulic particulars, CM&CD works on canals and Hydro mechanical components(gates).Certain delegation of powers was given to ENCs/CEs, SEs to approve only alignment, hydraulic particulars, and designs of canals based on canal discharges at their level. But all Dam related designs will be dealt by CDO only.
E. Quality Assurance and Quality Control Organizations (QAQC)
For overseeing the QAQC operations of execution of projects and works, there are three regional QC Chief Engineers for Coastal Andhra, Rayalaseema, and Telangana regions. They are supported by Superintending Engineers for 2-3 districts and one Executive Engineer for each district/ project. At lower level Deputy executive engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers function at field/project level. The QC organization are responsible for QC operations of all projects execution and O&M works with in their jurisdiction for up keeping quality and specification of all works irrespective of categorization of major, medium, minor, and individual projects. This is in addition to QC responsibility of execution staff and on certification by QAQC engineers only; the payments of work bills executed by contracting agencies and preferred by Project/O&M Engineers will be accepted and paid.
F.Irrigation Development in Andhra Pradesh:
The state has the advantage of having most of east flowing rivers in the heart of the state bringing in copious supplies from the Western and Eastern Ghats and the Deccan plateau up to Bay of Bengal.
Andhra Pradesh is geographically situated with 40 major, medium and minor rivers and among which Godavari, Krishna, Pennar, and Vamsadhara are the important major rivers flowing through heart of the state. Some of the rivers originated in adjoining states like Maharastra, Telangana, Karnataka, Odissa, and passed through Andhra Pradesh before emptying into the Bay of Bengal. These rivers are called Interstate Rivers and construction of Dams by the Andhra Pradesh requires adjoining state’s concurrence before approval by the Government of India.
In the pre independence era the anicuts across Godavari, Krishna and Penna rivers at Dowlaiswaram, Vijayawada and Nellore respectively and also the Sunkesula Anicut across Thungabhada River with Kurnool Cuddapa Canal in Rayalaseema were constructed by Britishers. In the post independence period the Nagarjuna Sagar dam, Srisailam dam, Somasila Project, and Vamsadara, Gotta barrage are some of the major projects that were built along with many other medium and minor Irrigation schemes.
G.Categorization of Irrigation sources: For convenience of management of resources as well as their maintenance, and construction of new projects, the Irrigation sources are categorized in to Minor (2000 hectares), Medium (10000Ha.) and Major above 10000Ha. Mostly the Minor Irrigation is Tank Irrigation.
H. Tradition of Tank Irrigation.
Tank irrigation is in existence in AP since many centuries. The then rulers constructed many irrigation tanks in medieval period to meet requirements of the population. The man power of the villages mainly contributed for the construction of as many as 11000 big tanks and 40000 small tanks. These are the only water sources for irrigation and livelihood of over 90 percent of population who dependent on Agriculture. The Tank irrigation continued since then and as and when an irrigation project comes in to existence in a particular area they were merged in the project command. Due to rapid urbanization and encroachments, some of these tanks were vanished in course of time.
The irrigation tanks are small water bodies in the geographical area of the villages and fed by rains in every rainy season. The inflows come from upstream catchment areas through small streams and these tanks are mostly built across the streams. On the downstream the ayacut exists. The ayacut under each tank ranges from less than 10 acres to 400-500 acres mostly. There are very few tanks having ayacut over 1000 acres. The Area of tank beds will be of order of 10 to 30 percent of their ayacut and the depth of water in these tanks will be shallow and range in 1-4 mts. The land holdings of small farmers under the tank will normally be of order of an acre and big farmers possess 10-15 acres in a family. In every rainy season the tanks usually get 3-4 fillings of tank capacity which take care of water supply in the crop period.
The tank comprises an earthen tank bund connecting to high mounds or hillocks on either side to form a shallow basin for storing water. Tank sluices will be constructed to regulate supply of water to the fields with shuttering arrangement. Surplus Weir is an important component of Tank to dispose of flood waters above full Tank level and ensure safety of tank bunds against breaching. The tank Irrigation is un-assured as there will be vagaries of monsoon and get filled only when there are rains in catchment. In drought seasons the tanks will be dry and there will be no irrigation. The farmers under the tank observe the inflows in to the tank in each rainy season and depending on the storage in tank, they plan for agricultural operations of particular extent of ayacut under the tank in that season.
Previously the tanks having an ayacut less than 100 Ac. used to be under Panchayat Raj Department and tanks having more than 100 Ac. under Irrigation department. Now irrespective of extent of ayacut all the Tanks are brought under control of Irrigation department.
Minor Irrigation in A.P (residual): The existing ayacut is 25.60 lakh acres under 41,737 sources. But the actual happening irrigated area is 11.56 acres. Now restoration of the gap ayacut is being done by executing works under various funding schemes
I. Post-Independence irrigation development
The post-independence irrigation development is achieved by appropriate financial out lays under various Five year plans since 1951 in the state. Apart the state has taken up some irrigation projects generating funds by it. This led to construction of major projects like Nagarjuna Sagar (NSP), Srisailam(NSRSP) Vamsadhara stage-I, Gotta Barrage, Somasila and Telugu Ganga projects and many medium irrigation projects ultimately brought millions of hectares of hither to barren lands under cultivation and some existing dry irrigated lands converted as wet. Upto pre plan 1951 the irrigation development is limited to 9.7 Million ha.under Major & medium irrigation and 12.90 Million ha. under minor irrigation. Thus a total of 22.90 Million ha. getting irrigation before independence.
The following major projects are constructed in post-independence:
S.N0 / Name of Project/year of commissioning. / District / Ayacut in acresA.P
1 / Vamsadhara project stage-1,(1977) / Srikakulam / 1.48,000
2 / NarayanaPuram Anicut(1960) / Srikakulam,Vizianagaram / 37,053
3 / Thandava reservoir(1975) / Visakhapatnam/E.G.Dt / 51,465
4 / Yeleru Reservoir(1990) / E.G.Dt / 53,017
5 / Thammileru Reservoir(1970) / W.G.Dt / 16,947
6 / Nagarjuna sagar(1975) / Krishna,Guntur,Prakasam,
Nalgonda,Khammam / 21,57,000
7 / Srisailam Dam (1984) / Kurnool / HE Dam
8 / Somasila Dam(1989) / PSR Nellore Dt. / 1,62,295
9 / TBP HLC Stage I&II(1980) / Anantapur,Kadapa,Kurnool / 2,34,593
10 / TBP LLC(1960) / Kurnool / 1,73,627
11 / Pulivendula Branch canal(2002) / Kadapa,Anantapur / 59,996
12 / S.R.B.C&S.R.L.C/2004 / Kurnool,Kadapa,Nalgonda / 4,60,000
13 / Ramathirtham (NSRC)/2008. / Prakasam. / 72,874
The following Medium irrigation projects (10000Ha or 25000Ac above) were constructed in post independence in the state and details given district wise:
Sl.No / Name of District. / Name of The Project / Ayacut in acresA.P
1 / Srikakulam / 1.Pydigam
2.Madduvalasa(2004) / 5,187
24,700
2 / Vizianagaram / 3.Denkada
4.Thatipudi Reservoir
5.Seetanagaram anicut
6.Vottigedda
7.Peddankalam
8.Vegavathi
9.Vengalaraya sagaram
10.Andra(2003)
11.Pedda Gedda(2007)
12.Janjavathi(rubberdam)/2006 / 8,172
15,366
4,118
16,670
8,160
4,500
24,700
9,426
12,000
24,700
3 / Visakhapatnam / 13 .Raiwada
14.Konam
15.Varaha reservoir
16.Megadrigedda
17.GambhiramGedda
18.Pedderu Reservoir(2007) / 15,366
12,638
4,484
Water Supply to VSP
640 & DWS to VSP
19,969
4 / East Godavari / 19.Pampa reservoir
20.Subbareddy Sagar
21.Torrigedda LI scheme
22.K.V.Ramakrishna-Surrampalem Reservoir(2006) / 12,005
9,822
13,758
15,482
5 / West Godavari / 23.Yerrakalva reservoir
24.Jalleru Reservoir
25.Vijayarai Anicut
26.Kovvada Kalva Reservoir / 24,700
4,200
10,722
15,000
6 / Prakasam / 27.Rallapadu Reservoir
28.Mopadu Reservoir
29.Veeraragavunikota Anicut
30.Paleru Bitra Gunta anicut
31.Lower Upputeru Anicut. / 13,191
8,040
5,555
7,262
2,187
7 / P.S.R.Nellore / 32.Kanpur Canal
33.Gandipalem Reservoir
34.Swarnamukhi Barrage(2008) / 18,865
16,000
4,814
8 / Chittor / 35.Swarnamukhi Anicut
36.Kalangi Reservoir
37.Mallimadugu Reservoir
38.Araniar Reservoir
39.Krishnapuram Reservoir
40.Bahuda Reservoir
41.Pedderu Reservoir
42Siddalagandi scheme / 10,200
4,650
3,950
5,550
6,125
2,884
4,300
225
9 / Anantapur / 43.Upper Pennar
44.Chennaraya Swamy Gudi
45.Pennar Kumudvathi
46.BhairavaniThippa
47.Yogivemana(Maddileru) Reservoir / 10,048
900
6,522
12,000
12,080
10 / Y.S.R(Kadapa) / 48.Lower Sagileru
49.Upper Sagileru
50.Pincha Reservoir
51.Buggavanka Reservoir
52.Annamayya (Cheyyeru) Reservoir
53.Veligallu(2008) / 14,003
5,646
3,776
9,700
22,500
24,000
11 / Kurnool / 54.S.S.R( Gajuladinne)
55.Varadaraja Swamy Gudi Scheme / 25,460
13,220
J.Major irrigation projects executed in Post independence:
The modern temples of the Nation viz., Nagarjuna Sagar,Srisailam,Pochampadu (SRSP),Gotta Barrge (Vamshadhara Stage-I),Yeleru Reservoir,Somasila, Singur,Priyadarshini Jurala and Telugu Ganga Projects were built in post-independence and they are pride of state. Also new Barrages were constructed in place pre independence built Anicuts on Godavari, Krishna and ThungaBhadra-Sunkesula (Kurnool) as they out lived and some of them breached after becoming century old.
The list of Major Dams/Projects completed areJoint projects of A.P and Telangana such as Sriailam Dam and NagarjunaSagar,and 1. NarayanapuramAnicut. 2 TBPLLC. 3TammileruReservoir. 4ThandavaReservoir. 5 Vamsadharaproject Stage-I(GottaBarrge). 7 TBP-HLC (Stage-I &II).8SomasilaDam.9Yeleru reservoir.10Ramathirtham.11Telugu Ganga.12SRBC.13.Pulivendula Branch Canal.14Chagalnadu LI scheme. 15 Godavari Barrage at Dowlaiswaram, 16Prakasam Barrage, and 17.Sunkesula barrage in Kurnool in the state of A.P .
Brief details of some important major projects are as under:
K.JOINT PROJECTS of A.P and TELANGANA:
1. Nagarjuna Sagar Project: This multipurpose project is the initiation by then Prime Minister, Pandit Jawahar Lal and laid foundation stone in 1955.The live storage capacity at +590 ft. (179.832mts) is 202 TMC and gross storage being 408.81TMC. This project took considerable time for total completion due to paucity of funds but water supplied to partial ayacut in 1967itself while the Dam civil work is brought safe stage and canal system extended year by year. It is serving an ayacut of about 21.50 lakh acres in Guntur, Prakasam, Nalgonda, and Khammam, Krishna and W.G.Dts and also generating hydro power of 960 MW. The Spillway Gates erection was completed in 1975.
2. Srisailam Project (NSRSP): Originally this Dam is meant for Hydro power generation with 770 MW on Left side and 900MW through right side power houses. Reservoir Storage at FRL-885ft (+269.75M) is 308 TMC. The Dam physically completed by erection of spillway crest gates in 1984.The Srisailam Reservoir is on up steam of Nagarjuna Sagar and NSP ayacut will also receive water on power generation at Srisailam and serves as an upstream storage. Now it has become a water hub to many irrigation schemes like Srisailam Right Bank canal serving 1.90 lakh acres and linking S.L.B.C with Tunnel to serve 2.70lakh acres. Also new L.I schemes viz., HNSS, and gravity GNSS are taken up with this reservoir as source. Thus it has become a multipurpose project and a boon to the state.