VIJAYAWADA: Water resources minister Ambati Rambabu has said that the state government aims to store Krishna waters at the Pulichintala Project for future needs. The government, he said, would restart the Pattiseema LI scheme for the second time.
So far, some 17 tmc of water was released from the Pulichintala project, which was stored for the future needs of the Krishna delta that is emptying the Pulichintala reservoir. Hence it was decided to lift the Godavari's surplus water from the Pattiseema project to the Krishna river, he said.
Minister Rambabu recalled that the Pattiseema project was used only once during the past four and a half years.
He explained that due to “less storage” at the upper reservoirs, and the Krishna delta was facing a scarcity of water. “There is no alternative to supply sufficient irrigation water to the Krishna Delta and hence it is necessary to restart the Pattiseema LI Scheme.”
The minister explained that soon, the water resources department officials would lift Godavari’s surplus water into Polavaram right main canal through the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme.
He also said 5-tmc of water will be released for the Nagarjunasagar right bank canal from the Nagarjunasagar project to meet the drinking water needs of various areas. Officials are taking steps to release this water into the NSP canal,” he stated.
On floods in Godavari, the minister said state government has decided to release water to Krishna delta from Pattiseema project after four years, as inflows in Godavari River have been increasing.
The minister said discussions were under way on the Polavaram Project diaphragm wall that had been partially damaged. The government would make a decision to either conduct repair works or build a new diaphragm wall at the state level. “This issue would be discussed with the Central Water Commission (CWC), the Polavaram Project Authority (PPA) and at the level of the Dam Design Review Panel. After that, a final decision would be taken,” he said.
