The State government’s ambitious plan to complete the Vamsadhara Phase II project by January 2018 may not be a reality considering the inordinate delay in the execution of works at the ground level.
In spite of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu reviewing the pace of works regularly through the video link, there has been little progress as the project is bogged down by many practical problems.
District Collector K. Dhanunjaya Reddy has asked irrigation officials to meet the deadlines and reach the targets set by the government.
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The project is aimed at providing irrigation to 45,000 acres, besides stabilising the existing ayacut of 2,10,510 acres under the left and right main canals.
As part of the second phase, the government is constructing a side weir on the right bank of the Vamsadhara at Katragadda village of Bhamini mandal for diverting the flood waters into the 34-km-long flood flow canal.
Two balancing reservoirs are also being constructed on the canal at Singidi and Parapuram villages to irrigate 20,000 acres.
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The Hiramandalam reservoir with a capacity of 19.05 tmcft, head sluices for high-level canal, link canal, and spillway regulator are also being taken up under the project.
District Collector K. Dhanunjaya Reddy, who has been visiting the project site regularly, has directed the contractors to engage more number of workers to meet the deadline.
Spillway, head regulator works, construction of diversion road, and others are not being taken up as per the schedule, he says.
“There is no resistance from people as a majority of them have been paid compensation. Grievances pending would be redressed in the Lok Adalat. We are also organising special grievance day every Saturday to redress the genuine grievances of people of Hiramandalam and Kotturu mandals,” he added.