1,700 irrigation tanks on verge of breaching

NELLORE: The incessant rain for the past 12 days is posing a threat of damage to areas which are served by 1,700 odd major and minor irrigation tanks, most of them rainfed, in the district.Though farmers are happy the rain will benefit their crops raised towards end of the Kharif season, they also fear that their smile on their faces may not last long if the rain continues to lash the district for some more days.There is a good reason for their fears, considering that several of the rainfed irrigation tanks, on which they depend for the irrigation water, are on verge of breaching. Most of these tanks are several decades old.According to irrigation officials, some tanks were constructed during the British era and some are older than 300 years. The government machinery undertakes temporary repairs whenever a tank is breached during a heavy rain or cyclone but does not work out a permanent solution.Bogolu and Alluru tanks breached during the 2005 cyclone and are yet to be repaired in spite of several representations to the government. Mere assurances were given but no work was initiated. "Why would they do it? They are just waiting for the right time so that they can manipulate the government machinery and force it to give contracts to those close to them and use it as an income generator. In the end, the situation will remain as it is,' say some farmers in Bogolu.