The Thatipudi reservoir, built across the Gosthani between 1963 and 1968, will be renamed after freedom fighter and social activist Gorripati Butchi Appa Rao, according to a decision taken by the State government recently.
The reservoir, which irrigates 15,378 acres of land in and around the project area, also supplies water to Visakhapatnam for the district’s industrial needs. It has also become a major tourist attraction as the APTDC operates boats in the project. Many organisations had requested successive governments to name the reservoir after him. The State government had passed a Government Order (G.O. no. 35) a couple of days ago to this effect, it is learnt.
Residents of Vizianagaram district hailed the government decision, terming it a much-delayed yet welcome sign of appreciation for the late Appa Rao who had gone to great lengths to get the project sanctioned by the government.
“Gorripati Butchi Appa Rao, hailing from Vizianagaram district, had strived for a long time to get the reservoir built across the Gosthani. He had also handed over his own lands to the families displaced by the project as the compensation awarded to them by the State government was inadequate. It is good to see that his sacrifice is being rewarded,” said Gottapu Chinnam Naidu, president of the A.P. Koppala Velama Samkshema Sangham.
“We are thankful to Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy for accepting our proposal,” Mr. Chinnam Naidu said.
Vizianagaram Zilla Parishad chairperson Majji Srinivasa Rao also hailed the government’s decision in a separate press note. He said that the government’s decision would ensure that future generations would be able to know the history of the reservoir and the man responsible for its commissioning.
