VIJAYAWADA: After successfully linking the Godavari with Krishna through the Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS), the state government is mooting linking the Pennar with the Godavari.
It is estimated that funds to a tune of Rs 80,000 crore will be needed for diverting 320 TMCs of surplus water from Godavari to Pennar. The state government is also contemplating setting up another barrage on the Krishna’s downstream Pulichintala project.
As Union Water Resources Minister Nitin Gadkari is scheduled to come to the state for inspecting the Polavaram project works on December 23, the state government is preparing to give a presentation on the interlinking of Godavari and Pennar rivers along with submitting details about the possibilities of taking Godavari waters to the Kaveri.
During a meeting between Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and water resources development officials at the Interim Government Complex in Velagapudi on Friday, representatives of Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS) Limited submitted a report mentioning that Rs 80,000 crore is needed for the interlinking of Godavari and Pennar. This requires 3,625 MW electricity for lifting 320 TMCs of water from the Godavari to the Pennar.
It will also require 32,000 acres of land including 7,000 acres of forest land and also two tunnels between Polavaram and Prakasam barrage in addition to setting up a reservoir at Bollapalli.
Canals to a length of 701 km will have to be arranged from Polavaram project to Sangam barrage in Nellore district.Water will be diverted from Prakasam barrage to Pedaganjam through Kummamuru canal and from there to Gundlakamma reservoir by lifting and from there to Sangam reservoir.
The process of Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) and Hydrographic surveys have already been completed for linking the rivers, and the geotechnical studying is in the final stage. The government aims to provide adequate water for irrigation, industries and drinking purposes for the four Rayalaseema districts and also Nellore and Prakasam by linking Pennar with Godavari.The Chief Minister directed officials to prepare plans for completing the linkage of rivers in a phased manner and also for reducing the project cost. He also suggested to them to make a study over the feasibility of diverting water through existing canals. He said that the state will have 1,500 TMCs water storage capacity once the linking of rivers is over.
Report to Gadkari
Suggesting the WAPCOS representatives prepare a detailed report over linkage of the Godavari and the Pennar, the Chief Minister also wanted them to give a presentation to Union Minister Nitin Gadkari during the latter’s visit to Polavaram project on December 23.
Another barrage of Krishna river
Officials also informed the Chief Minister that Rs 3,278.60 crore will be needed for construction of another barrage upstream Prakasam barrage in the Krishna. Completion of the project will take three years. The Chief Minister is favouring the construction of a barrage at Vykuntapuram, which is 23 km upstream Prakasam barrage and 60 km downstream of Pulichintala project.