Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday threw a challenge at his opponents asking them if they were ready to quit politics as he had kept his word of linking the Godavari and the Krishna by completing his pet Pattiseema Lift Irrigation (PLI) project in a “record 320 days.”
“History has been made. It is going to find a mention in the Guinness Book of Records as my government has completed the river-linkage project in just 320 days. To achieve this, one needs strong commitment and vision, which only my government has,” said Mr. Naidu after releasing water through 24 pumps of the PLI project.
Addressing a meeting later, he observed: “When I spoke of linking the Godavari and the Krishna, everyone laughed at me. The opposition parties challenged me saying it was impossible. But today, I have made it possible. I am giving Godavari water to the Krishna delta through Prakasam barrage.” This was part of the Government’s action plan to supply 80 tmcft of water to the Krishna delta, he said.
Mr. Naidu said the Government had launched work on the PLI project in March last year. The trail run was conducted in July and August with four pumpsets.
“At present, 30 per cent of the promised 80 tmcft is being supplied and the remaining will be supplied in a phased manner,” he said, and added: “I am happy today than when I took oath as Chief Minister.”
‘Credit goes to TDP alone’
Mr. Naidu said that the credit for linking the rivers would go to the Telugu Desam government alone. “The next target is to link the Penna and the Krishna,” the Chief Minister said.
All the 24 pumps were kept fully operational for some time after the Chief Minister released the water. Thereafter, water continued to be released only through four pumps as work on the Polavaram Right Canal (PRC) is yet to be completed at the 66{+t}{+h}km at Ramileru. Chief Engineer of Pattiseema S. Ramesh Babu said the four pumps would be in operation every day, releasing 354 cusecs of the Godavari water into the Krishna till the remaining 20 pumps became fully operational by the end of this year.
Minister for Major Irrigation Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, and Ministers P. Sujatha and P. Manikyala Rao participated in the programme along with irrigation officials.
I am happy today. The next target is to link the Penna and the Krishna
N. Chandrababu Naidu