The ‘Andhraratna’ pumping scheme near this town has been rendered defunct for some time as the Krishna water is not released into it by the Irrigation Department for some technical reasons.
Water is supplied from this scheme to agricultural fields in hundreds of acres in Tadepalli and Mangalagiri mandals and some water is used for drinking purpose also.
But as the pump house has been left unused, the building is showing signs of cracking and the large wells into which water is collected and pumped through canals have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects.
As one enters the town from the national highway side, the pumping scheme can be seen languishing in a state of neglect.
Foundation for the pumping scheme was laid on January 1, 1965 by the then Chief Minister K. Brahmananda Reddy and it had since been a vital link in the huge networks of canals served by the Krishna.
Of late, lack of proper maintenance and also non-availability of enough water led to complete neglect of the scheme.
Today, this pumping scheme stands as a mute testimony to the heydays of the Krishna canals which used to be brimming with water almost throughout the year.It is an altogether different scene now due to the depleting water levels in the river. The scheme is sought to be revived in public interest at the earliest.
