Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has asked the officials to do a follow-up exercise with the Central government to get the pending bills of work completed at the Polavaram irrigation project cleared.
Addressing a review meeting on progress of work of irrigation projects in the State on Tuesday, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that every work of the project was done after getting the mandatory approvals from the Polavaram Project Authority.
The State government has been spending its money with a vision to complete the project soon, he said and asked the officials to ensure that the bills were reimbursed.
“The State government has spent ₹226.71 crore on the R&R work of the Vamsadhara Project as promised earlier,” said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy and gave nod for filling water in the Heeramandalam reservoir from the Gotta Barrage.
He asked the officials to prepare an action plan in this regard with a focus on the construction of the Neredi Barrage.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy insisted that the officials should initiate measures to complete the Gajapatinagar branch canal and the Tarakarama Tirthasagar projects.
Referring to irrigation projects undertaken in Rayalaseema region, the Chief Minister said there was water scarcity in the western Kurnool and asked the officials to expedite work and complete the projects in that region to check migration of people.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy asked the officials to ensure supply of drinking and irrigation water to the constituencies of Chittoor, Kuppum and Palamaneru. The work pertaining to Kuppam branch canal should expedited,” he said.
The officials informed the Chief Minister that they had set the target to complete the lower coffer dam work by July 31. An investigation on the damage to the diaphragm wall has been completed and clarity on designs will emerge by the May-end, they said.
Veligonda Project
Explaining the progress of work pertaining to the Sangam Barrage, they said that it would be completed on time. The work of Owk Tunnel is apace and will be completed by August. Water will be released from the Tunnel-1 of the Veligonda Project in September and works of the Tunnel -2 will be completed by June 2023,” the officials said.
Irrigation Minister Ambati Rambabu, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Water Resources Principal Secretary Sashi Bhushan Kumar, Finance Special Chief Secretary S.S. Rawat, Water Resources Engineer-in-Chief C. Narayana Reddy and other officials were present in the meeting.
