Minister for Irrigation Devineni Umamaheswara Rao on Monday said an expert committee consisting of retired irrigation engineers will visit areas under Krishna Delta System and submit proposals to complete pending works relating to modernisation of Krishna Delta system. The committee members are Ch. Veeraiah, Rosaiah and Subba Rao.
The Minister said a detailed report on the alleged laxity of contractors would be submitted for further action. Mr. Rao said works to the tune of Rs.1,300 crore were awarded on EPC basis to contractors who flouted all norms in preparing the designs, estimates and in execution of works.
The Minister was speaking at the end of a review meeting held with elected representatives and peasant leaders of four districts of Guntur, Praksam, Krishna and West Godavari here.
Earlier, the leaders came down heavily on Irrigation Department for delay and corruption in the works related modernisation of Krishna Delta System (KDS) at the meeting.
The Krishna Delta system was an age old irrigation system in A.P and has an ayacut of 13.08 lakh acres in which Krishna district has 6,79 lakh acres, Guntur (4.99 lakh acres), Prakasam (0.72 lakh acres) and West Godavari (0.58 lakh acres).
The project relating to modernisation of a vast network of irrigation canals and drains in Krishna Delta was conceived in 2007 after a severe cyclonic storm wreaked havoc in Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts.
“Even after seven years, not even 20 per cent of works were completed relating to modernization of drainage canals and in some cases, works were not completed even after the contractors were paid mobilisation advances. Tail end areas have not got water due to delay in modernisation. In the coming days, we may not get assured water supply and we should ensure that the modernisation works should be completed to ensure ayacut does not go dry,’’ said Yerneni Nagendranath, a peasant leader.
Santhanutulapadu MLA A. Suresh said the delay in executing modernisation of Romperu basin was causing havoc in coastal mandals of Prakasam district.
Former MP Y. Sivaji said laxity of revenue officials should also be probed in delay of execution of relief and rehabilitation packages of project displaced families of Dr K.L. Rao Multi Purpose project (Pulichintala).
Ministers P. Pulla Rao, R. Kishore Babu, Collector Kantilal Dande and Joint Collector Vievk Yadav and CE, Irrigation Circle, Guntur Ramesh Babu were present at the meeting.
