The Irrigation Department is, in likelihood, will miss the schedule of completion of the Vamsadhara Phase-II and Thotapalli projects, thanks to the delay in the inordinate delay in land acquisition and rehabilitation of people affected by the projects.
Despite the authorities citing that there is no dearth of funds to complete the works, the projects have been bogged down by vehement protests by the evictees over the compensation being offered to them. People facing displacement under the Vamsadhara project are demanding more compensation, alleging that the revenue officials have not made proper assessment of the relief pertaining to trees, houses, and other properties in arriving at the package.
The government, besides releasing Rs. 47.33 crore towards the R&R package, has sanctioned Rs. 19 crore for the construction of houses to for the 3,965 displaced families.
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In spite of the package, the government could not stop the agitations in Hiramandalam. Collector P. Lakshmi Narasimham, who reviewed the progress of the project recently, expressed concern over the delay in grounding of the works. The chief engineers had been asked to monitor the works on a daily basis.
Recently, the Central Water Commission approved the construction of a side-weir near Battili in Bhimini mandal. The move was seen as a major relief to the government, which was engaged in a dispute with Odisha for the last 50 years to gain its legitimate share of the Vamsadhara water.
Once the side-weir is in place, more than one lakh acres in the district would be brought under irrigation. However, the benefits would not reach the targeted sections, if the project is delayed further. Initially, senior officials felt that the side-weir and other works would be completed in a year, but given the pace of the project, now it is likely to take more than two years for completion of the project. Similar is the case with the Thotapalli project, which is dogged with the delay in land acquisition for construction of the distributory network.
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It is planned to provide water in two months, but it would not happen because of the inordinate delay in the works. The government has sanctioned Rs.160 crore to complete the project which is aimed at benefitting 12 mandals in Vizianagaram and 7 mandals in Srikakulam districts.
Evictees demand more compensation, alleging faulty assessment of their properties
The works pertaining to side-weir will take two years more for completion, feel officials