Despite Chief Minister N. Chandrababu’s promise that the interests of farmers of twin Godavari districts would be protected while implementing the Pattiseema lift irrigation project, the ryots are still apprehensive over the water availability for their crops and rehabilitation packages for the evacuees of Polavaram project.
“I fear that I may not get full compensation since our village has been declared as submerged village under Polavaram project. We have not received any compensation so far. How can I believe this government?,” rues Suryanarayana, a resident of Tadipudi village in West Godavari district. Suryanarayana is set to lose two acres to the Pattisam lift irrigation project.
Just before the arrival of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu to lay the foundation stone for the project, around 40 members of Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, led by their secretary Jangala Kumaraswami, were taken into custody at Tallapudi. Speaking to the media, Mr. Kumaraswami said: “Neither would the project benefit the farmers in Krishna Delta nor their counterparts in Rayalaseema. only a few contractors will benefit from this.”
According to the Engineer-in-Chief of Indirasagar (Polavaram) Major Irrigation Project, M. Venkateswara Rao, the government plans to develop this project at an estimated cost of Rs.1300 crore on the Polavaram right canal
Jyothula Nehru, MLA of Jaggampeta constituency and YSRC deputy floor leader in Assembly, who led the protest at Dowleswaram along with Central Committee member Jakkampudi Vijayalakshmi on Sunday, warned that Pattiseema project would sabotage the Polavaram project. Land acquisition for the lift on the right main canal, which is trapped in a court dispute, is yet another hindrance, he said.
Endowments Minister P. Manikyala Rao said that after the government issued G.O. 200 two days ago, the BJP had decided to support the project. The G.O. has clarified that the irrigation scheme will safeguard the interests of farmers in Krishna and Godavari deltas first, before catering to the needs of Rayalaseema. It is only a mobile lift irrigation scheme proposed to be operated for four year, he said.
Kurnool special Correspondent adds: The leaders from Rayalaseema are sceptical about the claims of the government over Pattiseema project, while welcoming the efforts to provide additional water to the region.
Federation of Akhila Bharata Raithu Sangams president Bojja Dasaratha Rami Reddy stated that Rayalaseema was least bothered about Pattiseema, but since the government had claimed to divert the surplus water from Pattiseema to Rayalaseema, it should show the constructive results.
Mr. Reddy felt that the government was trying to wriggle out of the situation by showing the ruse of Rayalaseema. “If at all Rayalaseema is to be benefited, the government should maintain the water level in Srisailam at 854 ft to ensure flow to the canals in the region,” he said.
The government should also declare that the only the extent of water needed by Nagarjuna Sagar canals would be released from Srisailam officially while the rest would be allocated to Rayalaseema canals.
Mr. Reddy felt that Pattiseema was being constructed as the sixth project to stabilize the Krishna Delta saying Srisailam, Nagarjuna Sagar, Pulichintala, Prakasam barrage, Polavaram and the latest Pattiseema were targeted to help Krishna delta only.
