The Andhra Pradesh State Water Users Associations Federation (APSWUAF) has asked Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to take up a lift irrigation scheme at Sangameswaram to draw three tmcft of Nagarjuna Sagar water to irrigate the drought-prone Rayalaseema region.
In a letter to the Chief Minister, federation president Alla Gopalakrishna Rao said it was highly inappropriate for Telangana to write to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) opposing a lift irrigation scheme proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government at Pottireddipadu Head Regulator to lift three tmcft to supply water to Rayalaseema. The AP government could therefore take up a lift irrigation scheme to utilise assured waters of the Nagarjuna Sagar, instead.
Mr. Rao said that after the bifurcation of united A.P., Telangana had proposed eight projects for the utilisation of an additional 178.93 tmcft without allocation or permission from the KRMB.
‘TS charge baseless’
Telangana had proposed the Palamuru-Rangareddy lift irrigation scheme from the foreshore of Srisailam to use an additional 90 tmcft, the Dindi lift irrigation scheme to use 30 tmcft again from the foreshore of Srisailam, Mission Bhagiratha to use 20 tmcft from various sources, the Bhaktha Ramdas lift irrigation scheme to use 5.5 tmcft from the Paleru reservoir, the Tummilla lift irrigation scheme to use 5.44 tmcft from the foreshore of Sunkesula Barrage, and also proposed the enhancement of three projects — the Kalwakurthi lift irrigation scheme to use 15 tmcft from Srisailam, SLBC to use 10 tmcft again from Srisailam and the Nettempadu lift irrigation scheme to use 3.4 tmcft from the foreshore of Jurala.
After coming up with so many new projects, it was ridiculous for Telangana to complain to the KRMB, Mr. Rao pointed out.
The federation asked the Chief Minister to stop Telangana from taking up these unauthorised projects and take up the new lift irrigation scheme at Sangameswaram.
.jpg?w=600)
