The Andhra Pradesh Saguneeti Viniyogadarula Sanghala Samakhya has suggested taking the Godavari water by Pattiseema canal to Srisailam dam via Prakasam barrage and by reverse pumping to Pulichintala and from there to Nagarjunasagar dam to overcome inter-State problems.
The entire scheme will cost ₹20,000 crore and the government should take up a study on it, Samakhya president Alla Venkata Gopalakrishna Rao said.
This would be an alternative to linking of Krishna and Godavari rivers in Telangana, he said citing the recent complaint of that State.
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Mr. Gopalakrishna said the Telangana government complained to the Krishna River Management Board when, the Krishna floodwater was taken to Rayalaseema via Potireddypadu Head Regulator.
The samakhya held its executive meeting here on Saturday. He also expressed apprehensions over re-tendering for Polavaram hydel power project and other dam works in spite of the Polavaram Project Authority’s objections and said it could lead to litigation and delay. It could also impact on the Uttrandhra Sujala Sravanti, a lifeline for North Andhra farmers.
Samakhya vice-president Gandi Musali Naidu objected to bills of ₹1,277 crore being kept pending for works executed under ‘Neeru-Pragati’ scheme in spite of the State standing second in the country in integrated water management and getting a NITI Aayog award. Though the presidents of water users associations executed the work transparently a vigilance inquiry was ordered and in North Andhra alone bills for ₹172 crore kept pending, he said.
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Secretary Karri Appa Rao of Srikakulam demanded that the Sujala Sravanthi, second phase of Vamsadhara Project, Neradi barrage, Vamsadhara-Nagavali linking, Mahendratanaya reservoir and modernisation of Thotapalli canal be taken up and completed.
Samakhya executive secretary Tummala Lakshmana Rao and Project Committee chairmen participated.