K. L. Rao Sagar Project, popularly known as Pulichintala project, which is seen as a boon for A.P. is back in focus with the Telangana government demanding that A.P. release Rs. 40 crore immediately as a pre-condition for impounding 20 tmcft water in the project.
TS Irrigation Minister Harish Rao, on Sunday, said the Telangana government did not have any objection to store 20 tmcft if rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) packages were paid. “We don’t want the water to go waste into the sea, but at the same time people should not suffer,” he said.
When contacted, A.P. Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao said the government would release funds for the R&R packages to be implemented in TS.
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A joint meeting of irrigation officials from both States estimated that Rs. 130 crore was required for the R&R package covering 13 villages facing threat of submergence in Nalgonda.
The Telangana government raised the R&R package issue when A.P. asked it to increase the storage level in the project from the present 9 tmcft to 20 tmcft.
Though the dam had a capacity to store 45.7 tmcft water, the government decided to store 11 tmcft (during September) keeping in view submergence of villages under the project. At 44.75 tmcft, 13 villages in Nalgonda and 15 in Guntur faced submergence.
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About 94 per cent of works were stated to be completed on the project, which was being constructed across river Krishna between NSP and Prakasam Barrage to provide water to Krishna delta. However, only Rs. 3 crore was spent on R&R so far.