The State Government has given administrative sanction for a lift irrigation scheme at Purushottapatnam in East Godavari district at an estimated cost of Rs. 1,638 crore to pump the Godavari water from the Polavaram project’s left main canal to Yeleru canal to meet the needs of Visakhapatnam.
Minister for Panchayati Raj, Rural Water Supply and MGNREGS Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu while thanking Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for accepting the proposal, said here on Saturday that through this project 20 tmc of water could be brought to Visakhapatnam to meet its drinking water, irrigation and industrial needs.
Meanwhile the Forum For Development of North Andhra appreciated the government for accepting the demand of the people of this region and wanted funds allotted for the lift irrigation scheme and complete it as soon as possible since the city and district are facing a lot of water scarcity.
General secretary of the forum A. Aja Sarma also made it clear that the aim of the lift irrigation scheme must be to meet the water needs of Visakhapatnam and not to stabilise the ayacut in East Godavari, as reported in some newspapers.
“This is an issue that worries the people of Visakhapatnam and the State government must come out with a clarification.
To get the benefit of the lift scheme the Polavaram left main canal must be completed all through its length of 162 km along with eight reservoirs.
A task force must be formed to complete the work”, Mr. Sarma said.
He also demanded the government to take up the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project to meet the water needs of the three north coastal Andhra districts.
