Irrigation officials on Thursday released 700 cusecs of water from the Purushothapatnam Lift Irrigation Project (PLIP) through two pumps and motors that were temporarily arranged.
The PLIP will pump 0.60 tmc of water into the Polavaram Left Main Canal. The water will reach the Yeleru Canal system at the 58th km after 12 days, according to S. Sugunakar Rao, Superintendent Engineer.
Water could not be released on August 15 when Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu symbolically switched on the motors of the PLIP because of heavy rain and delay in transportation of motors from BHEL.
“We have conducted a trial run in the last four days, and, finally, water has been released into the canal system with the help of two motors that have been brought from the Handri-Neeva project site,” Mr. Sugunakar Rao said. “Out of 10 pumps, four are ready for installation. The remaining will be installed before the first week of September. The two pumps brought from another site will be returned after fixing eight pumps,” Mr. Sugunakar Rao added.
An extent of 2.15 lakh acres , spread over Rajanagaram, Peddapuram, Prattipadu, Pithapuram, and Jaggampeta in East Godavari district, would get irrigation facility through the first and second stages of the PLIP, which was expected to be completed by the end of October.
