Krishna Board office in Kurnool sought

Kurnool: District Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB) which met here on Friday passes 10 resolutions including construction of Gundrevula reservior across the Tungabhadra River with 20 tmc of water storage capacity and asking the government to setup Krishna River board office in Kurnool district. 

The IAB has also passed resolutions on various demands pertaining to water problems. Presided over by District Collector S. Satyanarayana, the meet deliberated upon various issues, including KC Canal, LLC, Telugu Ganga, Gururaghavendra, Owk, Velugodu, Gajuladinne project, the ayacut problems under Srisailam right canal and Tungabhadra reservoir. 

However, it gave priority to construction of Gundrevula reservoir and Krishna water board office setup. 

After discussions the members have taken a decision to release 1000 cusecs water through the KC canal from Sunkesula reservoir on January, 2018 onwards as drinking water purpose. The IAB has passed a resolution demanding the government to release water from the Srisailam reservoir when the water level is above 854 feet. The board meet also sought to produce power only when the water level in the reservoir is above 854 feet. 

The board members expressed their worries that the district is at a disadvantage due to the release of water from Srisailam project when water level is below normal.

AP tourism minister Bhuma Akhila Priya, AP irrigation development corporation chairman K.E. Prabhakar, PAC chairman Buggana Rajendhranath Reddy, Nandyal MP S.P.Y. Reddy, Rajya Sabha MP T.G. Venkatesh, MLAs from Kurnool and Kadapa districts B.V. Jayanageswara Reddy, Gouru Charitha, Y. Ijayya and others were present. 

Y. Saiprasad Reddy, B. Rajasekar Reddy, B.C. Janardhan Reddy, Adinarayana Reddy, Raghuram Reddy, Ravindar Reddy participated in the meeting and all of them complained that the power production is being accorded importance rather than the meeting the drinking water and irrigation requirements.

The board has also passed a special resolution seeking the government to construct irrigation reservoirs who already took plans by government like Rajoli, Joladarashi, Vedavati and Nagaradona projects. They demanded the collector who is chairman of IAB, to pressure the Government in this regard. Some of MLAs said the officials were neglecting the issues of water thefts of Karnataka farmers at both sides like Rajoli banda diversion scheme (RDS) and low level canal (LLC).  Collector promised to take it to the notice of the Government. Irrigation department Cheif Engineer C Narayana Reddy and other officials were attended the board meet.