Andra Pradesh: No release of water to Krishna Delta region till August, says minister

Vijayawada: Minister for water resources Nimmala Ramanaidu has clarified that water for irrigation cannot be provided to the Krishna Delta region till August.

He said the TD-led government would go ahead with its plan to provide irrigation water to the farmers.

On Friday, the minister held a review with engineers of the water resources department on the precautions to be taken in the management of water drainage projects during the rainy season.

Ramanaidu said, "We used to store and use 40 tmc of water in the Pulichintala project. At present, there is not even half a tmc of water and hence we are unable to provide irrigation water to Pulichintala.”

He said, “Through Pattiseema, we are able to give some drinking and irrigation water to the Krishna Delta. But the Pattiseema motors are not working due to their poor maintenance in the last five years.”

“The water resources department has suffered a lot due to Jagan Mohan Reddy’s poor administration. The pending projects will be completed in their order of priority.”

Ramanaidu asked the officials to pay special attention to the inflow and outflow of the projects and the maintenance of the gates and locks of the projects, as flood water was entering the projects on a large scale during the rainy season.

He said the authorities have been asked to immediately remove the silt and garbage accumulated in the canals so that the tail-end lands under the project can be irrigated. “They would also prepare the necessary funds estimates for the same.”

He said that the maintenance works of the projects are being carried out on a war footing, with the aim of storing water in the project during the rainy season and providing water to the irrigated lands in Kharif.

“Due to negligence, the gates of the Gundlakamma, Pulichintala and Annamayya projects were broken. So, instead of the 30 to 40tmc water that was supposed to be stored in the Pulichinta project, only 0.5tmc water was stored.”

Also, due to a lack of adequate water reserves in the Pulicantala project and neglect of the Pattiseema project, problems were caused for supply of drinking water in the Krishna Delta, he added.

Ramanaidu said that 15 out of the 24 pumps under the Pattiseema lift scheme have been started and these would lift water.” A total of 21 pumps are likely to be operational in the next three to four days. As a result, the water of Pattiseema is likely to reach the Krishna Delta in the next two to three days.”