KAKINADA: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu has directed the district collectors and mandal level officials to integrate the available water resources for increasing groundwater table in their respective areas.
Plans are afoot to make Andhra Pradesh a drought-free state by conserving water tables through adopting water preservation techniques like drip irrigation, sprinklers in dry lands and initiating small lift irrigation schemes. Above all, Andhra Pradesh would become a role model in water conservation and utilisation in the ensuing days if it conserves groundwater, to cater to the future needs, he added.
Addressing the officials through video conference from Hyderabad Tuesday, the CM said that water utility should be assessed locally and the state would extend its support to the districts in this regard through available space technology. Works should be organised with stakeholders at different levels on water conservation. “The proposed Indira Sagar Project is a boon to the twin Godavari and other districts of the state.”
He also discussed implementation of Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme, recharging of water bodies and water conservation. Collector Neetu Prasad said that a comprehensive plan was devised by the forest department to take up a massive plantation programme in all the mandals this rainy season with an estimated cost of `3 crore. Meanwhile, there were ample opportunities available in the agency area of Rampachodavaram for water conservation, he added.
Joint collector Revu Mutyala Raju and ITDA project officer Gandham Chandrudu were present.