Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Friday said the Polavaram lift scheme was intended to draw only “excess” floodwaters from the Godavari to meet the irrigation needs of the Krishna delta.
Speaking at the Rytu Sadhikarata’ programme here, Mr. Naidu sought to clear apprehensions of people over the scheme. “Water will be diverted to the Krishna delta only after providing sufficient water for two crops in the Godavari delta. No injustice will be done to farmers in the Godavari delta,” he said. Mr. Naidu also promised to complete the Polavaram project in four years.
The demand for downsizing the Kolleru wildlife sanctuary and the government’s reported move to establish a National Institute of Technology in Krishna district occupied centrestage during the CM’s programme.
Endowments Minister Pidikondala Manikyala Rao appealed to Mr. Naidu to help West Godavari district emerge as an educational hub. Mr. Naidu said the availability of government land had become a major constraint in the district to establish any national institute. Local MLA Ganni Veeranjaneyulu and Eluru MP Maganti Venkateswara Rao appealed to the CM to keep his promise to fishermen in Kolleru by getting the wildlife sanctuary pruned from the plus-five to plus-three contours.
