Various works for modernising the irrigation system in Krishna Delta that spans across four coastal districts – Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna and West Godavari – valued at Rs.470 crore will be completed this season (before July).
Talking to The Hindu Krishna Delta Modernisation project Chief Engineer D. Sambasiva Rao said works were being taken up in packages on the canals and drains in the Krishna delta.
Giving details he said 13 packages worth Rs.150 crore had been cleared on the canals and nine works worth Rs.40 crore had been approved on drains of Krishna Eastern Delta. Rs. 10 crore had been earmarked for the dredging of some drains which had become highly silted. The cumulative worth of the 27 works planned in Krishna Eastern Delta (Krishna and West Godavari districts) was Rs.200 crore.
Similarly 29 works worth Rs 270 crore have been approved in Krishna Western Delta (Guntur and Prakasam districts).
More has been allotted for modernisation of drains than canals in this part of the delta. As much as Rs 155 crore was earmarked for 17 packages on drains and another Rs 100 crore was earmarked for 10 packages on canals and Rs 15 crore was allocated for four dredging packages, Mr Sambasiva Rao said.
The heavy rains in February were a major set back to the progress of modernisation works this season, the irrigation authorities said. Works have been given to Patel Engineering, SEW Infra Structure, Progressive Constructions, P.Venkata Ramanaiah and Co., Surya Cons, Raghava Constructions, RSR Infra Works (India), BVSR Constructions, N.V.V. Nagendram, Coramandal and Ramkey. The contract period has been extended for a year until August 2013. The progress of works was being closely monitored and companies that do not complete the works as per the contract would be penalised. Modernisation works on the canals would be stopped towards the end of summer for the filling of drinking water in few towns and hundreds of villages that depend on the Krishna river to fill their water tanks.
Sand scarcity may affect the progress of the modernisation works. While sand was being mined upstream Prakasam Barrage it has to be transported to the tailend areas like Avanigadda where works were being taken up.
