Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s grand plan of linking the Godavari and the Krishna did not go according to script on Wednesday. All he could do was to pour a potful of water from the Godavari into the Krishna to notionally complete the confluence.
The Chief Minister had originally intended to switch on the pumps at the Pattiseema project site to release the Godavari’s flood waters into the Polavaram Right Main Canal which would carry it to the Krishna at a point called Ferry on the banks of the Krishna. But as heavy rain past midnight disrupted pump installation work at the project site, the inaugural function was put off for later in the day.
However, he went ahead with the pre-arranged programme of releasing dammed-up waters of the Godavari, that had been requisitioned from another project on that river, the Tatipudi lift irrigation scheme, into the Krishna at Ferry.
Amidst a celebratory atmosphere, the Chief Minister performed special pujas before pouring a pot of Godavari water into the Krishna, thus bringing to reality his pet project of linking the State’s two great rivers. Mr. Naidu said it was a historic occasion and unveiled a pylon to commemorate the confluence. The confluence spot at Ferry has been named the Godavari-Krishna Pavitra Sangamam.
