Former PCC president Ponnala Lakshmaiah said the opening the gates of Lower Manair Dam (LMD) proved that the 33 tmcft water lifted from Kaleshwaram project since June 10 had gone into the sea as he had been arguing since the Kaleshwaram project was taken up.
Mr. Lakshmaiah, who was irrigation minister in the combined Andhra Pradesh, said the government lifted 33 tmcft from Kaleshwaram sine June 10 this year and pumped into LMD through Yellapmpalli project, but that water was now discharged into the sea, wasting the whole effort. The government had incurred ₹1,000 crore for power charges to lift water.
“I have been arguing that lifting water in the rainy season was of no use but the reason for lifting is more political than needs on the ground. Engineers know the availability of enough water during rainy season but on whose instructions are they unnecessarily lifting the water?” he asked.
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Mr. Lakshmaiah said lifting the water and discharging the same into the sea had been repeating for the last three years and demanded an explanation from Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
“It has been proved yet again that lifting of Kaleshwaram water was to gain publicity putting burden on the exchequer while serving nothing for the farmers,” he claimed.
The Congress leader said Kaleshwaram project would remain a tourist spot and not a viable irrigation project.
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