The Andhra Pradesh Government has been asked to give priority to projects that would distribute available water to all 13 districts in the State.
Farmers’ leaders from Rayalaseema, north and coastal Andhra districts, who converged here for a discussion on “Water Resources of the State”, expressed doubts about the completion and usefulness of the irrigation projects under construction. Some of them felt the projects being pursued were costly but their outcomes were still in doubt.
Former Drainage and Irrigation Board member and A.P. Rythanga Samakhya president, Yerneni Nagendranath, said infrastructure (two or three barrages across the Krishna above the Prakasam Barrage and pumping units) needed to lift the Godavari water to the Pulichintala reservoir from the point of confluence in stages would cost between Rs.4,000 crore and Rs.5,000 crore.
The Godavari water could be lifted to the Nagarjuna Sagar Project Left Main Canal through the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Scheme, Pattiseema would take care of the 13-lakh acre ayacut in the Krishna delta and water could be released from the Srisailam reservoir through the Handri-Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) and Pothireddypadu Regulator to the Rayalaseema districts. This would take care of the interests of all the regions in the State, he suggested.
Water could be pumped up from the Pulichintala Project to the Nagarjuna Sagar Project Right Main Canal, Mr. Nagendranath said. Despite having assured water allocation, this canal was not getting any because of the falling water levels in the Krishna, he pointed out.
Doubts over Polavaram
Speakers urged the State government to stop focusing on projects that required monumental efforts to complete. Many farmers’ association leaders expressed doubt about the government’s competence to impound water at the Polavaram dam site using the coffer dam. There was no clarity about the quantum of money the Central government could route through NABARD. Since the Polavaram Project had been declared a national project, any State would have the right to raise an objection. The cost of the project had escalated from Rs.16,010 crore to around Rs. 42,000 crore.
The Centre would have to release funds in packages of over Rs.10,000 crore in three instalments for the State to achieve the target it set for itself, the speakers said.
“Raise mass awareness”
Former MP Vundavalli Arun Kumar, who was a special guest, asked the associations not to expect quick verdicts from courts. He urged them to promote mass awareness in areas that were worst hit by water shortage. Political leaders were most afraid when it came to votes and they would act out of it, he said.
