Khammam: Contractors of the Nagarjunasagar Left Canal modernisation project are facing the wrath of the state government over the inordinate delay in completing the works. “A one-or two-year delay can be excused but how can they be excused for taking 10 years to complete it," an official said.
The government has given an ultimatum to the contractors to complete the works by the end of July.
The erstwhile united Andhra Pradesh government had taken up the NSP Left Canal modernisation project works at a cost of Rs 4,444 crore in 2008. The World Bank provided 50 per cent of the funds as a loan and the rest was pooled by the government, which gave it assurances of completing the project in five years.
The NSP Left Canal extends the water supply to 2.54 lakh acre in Khammam district. The project works were divided into three phases, including the main canal and branch canals such as 21 MBC, Madhira and Bonakal, 16 and 17 branch canals and the main canal in erstwhile Nalgonda district came under Khammam NSP Circle.
The main canal modernisation works from Nagarjunasagar reservoir were divided into ten packages.
Work on the 33-km second package in Nalgonda district and seventh package in Kallur mandal are still going on. The two works were given to a contractor in Khammam.
Further, the officials found different defects in the works. As part of the agreement, cement lining works were not done at five places. The works in branch canals and distributor channels were of inferior quality. NSP Left canal supplies water to Palair, Wyra and Lankasagar reservoirs and 300 tanks in 17 mandals in Khammam district. The length of the left canal in the district is about 46 km. Officials have issued a circular to contractors to complete the works before July end at any cost.
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