In Mundlamuru Mandal of Prakasam district, five lift irrigation schemes—once a boon for farmers,now lie in ruins due to the YSRCP government’s apathy. Built by the previous TDP regime between 2014-19, these projects ensured water for nearly 10,000 acres of fertile land. Farmers managed them through committees, collecting water taxes and maintaining smooth operations. But after 2019, everything collapsed.
YSRCP leaders interfered with the farmer committees, misused collected funds, and abandoned maintenance. Today, pumps, transformers, and pipelines are stolen or broken. With no security, thieves strip the sites bare. “Even if we catch them, police let them go,” laments a local farmer. The schemes are now ghost structures motor pumps rusted, wires missing, and fields parched.
Farmers who once grew two crops a year now struggle for one. “I sowed barley on five acres, but without water, I’ve lost ₹2-3 lakh,” says a desperate farmer. The unpaid electricity bills from the previous government worsened the crisis, leaving lakhs in pending dues. Repair costs for motors and pipes are unaffordable as committee funds were looted.
With nearly ₹100 crore already invested, farmers plead for government intervention. “If these schemes are repaired, 10,000 acres can flourish again,” urges a farmer. The Kuppam branch canal’s three nearby schemes, once functional now gather dust. Lack of water and security has turned them into theft magnets.
The YSRCP’s indifference has turned progress into plight. Farmers demand immediate action to restore the lift schemes, punish thieves, and secure their futures. Until then, rain remains their only hope and it’s running dry.
