It is a dream come true for the farmers of Nellore district as the long-awaited Nellore Penna and MGR Sangam barrages under the Penna delta modernisation scheme have at last become a reality after over 14 years.
The two projects across the Penna are slated for inauguration by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday.
The brainchild of former Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, work on the twin irrigation projects was taken up under the ‘Jalayagnam’ scheme at a cost of ₹294.70 crore in 2008-09.
However, his untimely death dashed the hopes of farmers as the projects progressed at a snail’s pace under successive governments until 2019. Also, during the first two years of the YSRCP government, when COVID-19 played havoc, work had not progressed much.
The cost of the Nellore Barrage went up from ₹147.20 crore to ₹274.83 crore and Mekapati Goutham Reddy Sangam Barrage from ₹147.50 crore to ₹335.80 crore, according to official sources.
“Giving top priority to the two projects, the YSRCP government has completed them overcoming all odds,” said Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy after overseeing the arrangements for the Chief Minister’s visit. “Now, farmers can easily cultivate two crops in a year without any hitch,” he said.
‘’We will now focus on the early completion of the flood protection wall in Nellore to find a permanent solution to flooding of habitations during flash floods and upgradation of the flood-flow canal to Kandaleru to carry 24,000 cusecs of water as against 12,000 cusecs to augment storage in the twin major reservoirs of Somasila and Kandaleru in the district,” he said.
Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh Federation of Farmers Organisations State president Ch. Koti Reddy urged the State government to complete some minor leftover works to ensure maximum benefit to farmers and release dues to the tune of ₹70 crore for paddy procured during Rabi season.
The delta modernisation will also ensure smooth transfer of flood water from Krishna to Penna basin and thereafter up to Poondi reservoir in Tiruvallur district of Tamil Nadu to meet the drinking water needs of Chennai metropolis which was entitled to 15 tmcft of water as per an agreement among the riparian states of undivided Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.
The Mekapati Goutham Reddy Sangam Barrage will ensure stabilisation of ayacut of Kavali, Kanupuru canals and Pennar delta to an extent of 3,85,000 acres. It will resolve drinking water problems on a permanent basis as the groundwater table will be recharged due to the storage of water to a tune of 0.45 TMC in the barrage.
Nellore Penna Barrage will irrigate 99,525 acres under Sarvepalli canal and Jaffer Sahib canal and meet the drinking water needs of ever-expanding Nellore city, official sources said.
‘’The twin barrages will act as a flood control structures during normal and peak flood situations,” explained Telugu Ganga Project Chief Engineer K. Harinarayana Reddy.
Sangam Anicut was originally constructed across the Penna during 1882-1887 contemplating to supply water to Nellore Tank Supply Channel and Kanupur Canal on right side and Duvvur Canal, Kanigiri Main Canal and Kavali Canal on left side. Nellore Anicut was constructed in 1855 to irrigate 99,525 acres under the Sarvepalli Canal and Jaffer Saheb Canal.
