Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has asked senior officials of power utilities to put in place power supply infrastructure for lifting water from the Kaleshwaram irrigation project by July-end.
Reviewing the progress of the project at a broadbased meeting with power and other officials on Thursday, Mr. Rao disclosed that it was decided to lift two tmc ft water from the project site at Medigadda this year and three tmc ft from next year.
At the rate of two tmc ft per day, the power requirement would be 3,800 MW and at three tmc ft per day from kharif next year, it would be 6,100 MW, a release after the meeting said. Chief Advisor to the government Rajeev Sharma and chairman and managing director of Transmission and Generation Corporations D. Prabhakar Rao were among those present. Mr. Rao asked them to ensure ample power supply to be able to lift water round the clock for six months from June to December when the Godavari flowed. The entire power cost would be met by the State government, he said.
‘Explore hydel power’
He also asked officials to explore hydel generation in lift irrigation schemes. Construction of pump houses at Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla where the barrages of the project are coming up should be completed by June 10.
There was the possibility to lift two tmc ft water per day in June and November and three tmc ft per day from July to October..
The water yield at Medigadda, according to Central Water Commission on a 44-year scale, disclosed rich flows in Godavari for six months. Therefore, water should be lifted from Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla to Ellampally and further up to mid-Manair at two tmc ft this year. By reverse pumping, one tmc ft could be lifted to tje Sriramsagar project and another one tmc ft to the Mallannasagar reservoir.
By next year, it should be ensured that three tmc ft water was diverted to Ellampally and two tmc ft to Kondapochamma Sagar to fill all the reservoirs and tanks en route. It was envisaged that not only 22 lakh acres under Kaleshwaram project but the ayacut of Sriramsagar, Gutpa-Alisagar and Nirmal, Mudhole and Husnabad constituencies would get water to irrigate a total of 45 lakh acres by the lift irrigation schemes, Mr. Rao said. Mr. D. Prabhakar Rao said the power utilities were ready to meet a demand of 17,000 MW, including 6,000 MW for lift-irrigation schemes.
Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao will visit Ramagundam on May 18 and Kaleshwaram on May 19. He will see for himself the 1,600 MW power plant under construction by NTPC at Ramagundam and the Kaleshwaram project works. He will also offer prayers at the temple at Kaleshwaram on the morning of May 19, a release said.
