Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has said the Polavaram multi-purpose irrigation project is on track.
“The designs of the earth-cum-rock fill (ECRF) dam of the Polavaram project will be finalised soon,” Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Tuesday, and directed the officials to focus on relief and rehabilitation (R&R) works too.
Reviewing the progress of the Polavaram and other priority irrigation projects, the Chief Minister directed the officials to complete them within the stipulated time.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had recently announced in the Legislative Assembly that the Polavaram project would be completed within 18 months of the finalisation of designs, and said it would become operational by kharif 2023.
Explaining the progress on the lower cofferdam and the ECRF dam, the officials said all designs of the downstream cofferdam had been received and work would be completed by July 31.
The officials told the Chief Minister that they had shifted 7,962 of the 20,946 families, and that 3,228 families had applied for OTS. The remaining 9,756 would have to be shifted.
Directing the officials to rehabilitate the families soon, he said benefits under the R&R package should be disbursed through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mode.
Sangam Barrage
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to notify Sangam Barrage as ‘Mekapati Goutham Reddy Sangam Barrage’.
The officials informed him that the works on the Nellore and Sangam barrages were almost complete, and they would be ready for inauguration by May 15. Works on the Owk Tunnel-2 should be completed by August, the Chief Minister said.
The officials said that excavation works on Tunnel-2 were under way at the rate of 400 metres per month at the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project, and added that it would be increased to 500 metres per month. The Chief Minister directed the officials to initiate steps to supply water through the Tunnel-1 of the project from September.
Interlinking of rivers
The officials also informed the Chief Minister that the works on the interlinking of the Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers were in full swing.
Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy instructed the officials to invite tenders for supplying water to the Udayagiri and Badvel areas under the Veligonda project, and prepare plans to lift water at the Gotta Barrage on the Vamsadhara for pumping into the Hiramandalam Reservoir.
He also directed the officials to start works on the Neradi Barrage on the Vamsadhara soon, and said the project would benefit both Andhra Pradesh and Orissa. “The neighbouring State can use half the storage water,” he added.
He further instructed the officials to complete the works on the Thotapalli project and expedite the works under the Gajapatinagar Branch Canal.
The Chief Minister asked the officials to invite tenders after taking permission from the Finance Department for completing the Mahendra Tanaya project.
He further directed the officials to focus on land acquisition and other issues pertaining to the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project, and asked them to extend the main canal up to Srikakulam.
Minister for Water Resources P. Anil Kumar, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, Water Resources Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar, and R&R Commissioner Cherukuri Shreedhar were present.
