AP CM Jagan calls for expeditious completion of prioritised irrigation projects

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the state water resources department to expedite the completion of ‘priority’ irrigation projects like Polavaram, Veligonda and Vamsadhara in a time-bound manner.

Chairing a high-level review meeting with senior officials of the department here on Monday, the CM asked them to come up with an action plan and fix the schedule for completion. Hold regular review of the progress in their execution every 15 days, he advised them.

On the Polavaram irrigation project, the officials briefed the CM that works were at a brisk pace. At ECRF dam gap-1, works related to sand filling and vibro compaction were on while at gap-2, the same works were being taken up.

Experts from Union Jal Sakthi ministry and the Central Water Commision inspected the partial sinking of a portion of the guide bund, recently, and veered round the view that this was caused by the nature of the soil. They advised the irrigation officials to fill up the damaged portion with rock dump and cement slurry, and give support with gaboons. This was being done now, the officials told the CM.

The officials also informed the CM that the Union finance ministry had taken a decision to sanction '12,911 crore to AP for completion of the Polavaram project works in phase-1. A Cabinet note was being prepared by consulting stakeholder departments in order to  place this in the Union Cabinet.

They also said that out of 20,946 project-displaced families in phase-1, so far, 12,658 PDFs were shifted while efforts were on to shift 8,289 PDFs to R and R colonies.

On the progress of the Veligonda project, the officials said works on the first tunnel were completed while works were in progress on the second tunnel. The second tunnel head regulator works could be completed in two months’ time, the officials said.

As part of the Veligonda projet, works related to Gottipadu dam, Kakarla dam, Teegaleru approach channel and its head regulator and the eastern main canal head regulator were in various stages of completion.

On Vamsadhara, the CM wanted filling up of Hiramandalam reservoir by lifting the water from Gotta barrage; and on Thotapalli barrage, the CM was informed about progress of works on Kuppam branch canal. These works were nearing completion.

On the Owk project, lining works on its second tunnel were in their final leg of completion, officials said, and they sounded confident it could be launched in August to enable diversion of nearly 20,000 cusecs of Krishna water to drought-hit areas in Rayalaseema region. The plan is to avoid wastage by getting these emptied into the sea.

At the review meet, the CM lauded the water resource minister and the officials for winning four national water awards for AP.