Nimmala performs Jala Harathi to Godavari-Krishna Sangamam

Vijayawada: Minister for water resources Nimmala Ramanaidu on Monday hailed Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu by saying he realised the “words of our Telugu son K.L. Rao that only the interlinking of rivers would solve the country's drought situation.”

The linking of Godavari and Krishna rivers through the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme, he said, was a big step in this direction.

Ramanaidu, along with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Sivanath (Chinni), Gudivada MLA Venigandla Ramu and irrigation department officials offered ‘Jala Harathi’ and special prayers at the Ibrahimpatnam Ferry ghat, where Godavari river water, lifted through the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme, merges with waters of River Krishna.

The minister said, “A total of 6,100 cusecs of water has been lifted from Godavari river into Krishna using 17 pumps in the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme in the last five days. In addition, the remaining eight pumps would also be used to lift a total of 8,000 cusecs of water from the Godavari to the Krishna river in a phased manner.”

Ramanaidu said the water lifted from Godavari river using Pattiseema would meet the drinking water requirements of 30 lakh people and the irrigation requirements of 10 lakh farmers under the Krishna delta region.

“With the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme enabling the lifting of Godavari water into Krishna, the state government is able to provide Krishna water to Rayalaseema region through Srisailam reservoir,” the minister noted.