Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday said the repair and restoration of water bodies taken up under the Neeru-Chettu programme has helped to limit the damage due to the recent rains in south coastal Andhra Pradesh and Rayalaseema.
The Government took up works like desiltation, lift irrigation, construction of check dams and farm ponds, spending more than Rs.2000 crore. Besides helping in increasing the irrigated area by nearly 2 lakh acres, the programme aided in raising the ground water table and reducing the impact of the downpour to an extent, Mr. Naidu claimed, addressing media persons here on Tuesday.
He said the ground water level had plummeted to alarming levels in the State: this year’s recording as an average had been 12 m, while it was 10 m last year. The ideal ground water table ought to be 3-8 m. In Chitoor district, ground water had dropped to 33 metres. The Neeru-Chettu programme was taken up to address this very emergency problem, he said.
There are 1600 rain gauges in the state but as many peizometers would have to be installed across the State to study the ground water levels more accurately. For the first time in the country, a water audit would be conducted by the Ground Water Department on aspects pertaining to rainfall received and water levels, he said.
Construction of check dams, interlinking of rivers, drip irrigation and sprinkle systems would help in making Andra Pradesh a drought-proof State.
A team of engineers would be constituted to visit the areas flooded in this week’s rains and study rainfall patterns and water levels there and suggest measures to be taken to divert rain water into rivers and rivulets. The committee would also identify vulnerable spots and suggest measures to mitigate heavy damage in future, he added.
For the first time in the country, a water audit would be conducted on aspects pertaining to rainfall received and water levels
- N. Chandrababu Naidu,Chief Minister
