Water grid to bring relief from drought

ANANTAPUR: IT minister Palle Raghunath Reddy has said that water grid at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore would be formed soon to mitigate severe drought in Anantapur district.

In a press release, the IT Minister has said that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu had directed the authorities to concentrate on forming water grid as part of drought proofing measures.

Stating that Anantapur was hit by another consecutive drought during the current year, Mr Reddy assured that the government would take all measures for supplying drinking water at all the villages.

“All the water schemes and existing tanks would be strengthened for storage and improving groundwater resources in the district,” Mr Reddy said.

He said that leakages in Sreerami Reddy drinking water project, which is supposed to supply water to 914 villages, were creating hurdles in supplying water in all parts.

Defects in the entire pipeline would be rectified, the minister assured and said that JC Nagi Reddy drinking water project, planned with an estimated Rs 502 crore, was started, but only 20 per cent of works were completed till then. He said that the project needs railway and forest clearances.

The government would initiate steps to complete the project to supply drinking water to 447 villages in Tadipathri. It is also planned to distribute drinking water to 1,200 villages in Dharmavram, Nallamada, Kadiri and other parts of the district by the end of November.