The roundtable organised by the Centre for Rayalaseema Studies here on Friday envisaged the need for laying a parallel canal from the Tungabhadra river up to Chittoor district to use its floodwater.
The meet titled ‘Chittoor district’s irrigation needs, aspirations’ recalled that the Handri Neeva, Galeru Nagari and Telugu Ganga, all meant to wet the district, had failed to render justice by not becoming full-fledged projects yet. In this connection, speakers pondered over the need to harvest and put to proper use the surplus water in the Tungabhadra river.
The centre’s president Bhuman demanded repair and renovation of all the irrigation tanks and water bodies in Chittoor district by launching ‘Sri Krishna Devaraya Mission’. Similarly, the State government should allocate 5 tmcft water to Tirumala-Tirupati, in view of the lakhs of devotees visiting the hill shrine every month.
“The most important demand is the urgent need for repeal of G.O. No. 69 on the Srisailam project, which is preventing the flow of water towards Chittoor district. The water level should be maintained at 854 feet.
Similarly, the Pothireddypadu head regulator capacity should be increased to 90,000 cusec and Handri Neeva should be designed to hold 120 tmcft of flood water,” he said.
300 resolutions
People from various political parties, academics, journalists and intellectuals and general public from all walks of life took part.
In all, 300 resolutions were passed in the meeting.
