ELURU: Eighty-one lawmakers, including 60 MLAs, 15 MLCs and six ministers visited the Polavaram Irrigation Project and Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS) on Thursday, to inspect the ongoing works.
A team of MLAs and MLCs reached Eluru in six special buses and 20 cars. They had breakfast at Denduluru MLA Chintamaneni Prabhakar’s house. Later, the team left for Polavaram and visited the diaphragm wall, radial gates construction site, concrete works, spillway, spill channel and rockfill dam works.
The MLAs after inspecting the dam works, expressed their satisfaction and stated that AP will become the first drought-free State in the country after the completion of the project. Information and Public Relations Minister Kalava Srinivasulu said that Polavaram project would change the future of the State. The Minister criticised Opposition leader Jagan Mohan Reddy for creating obstacles to the State’s development.
160 tmc diverted to Krishna delta
The Minister said that last year, they diverted 160 tmcft of water to Krishna delta and this year 100 tmcft of water has been diverted to Krishna river so far. “Pattiseema water is being used to save both Godavari and Krishna deltas.
The people of Rayalaseema are also using this water and the underground water levels have risen in that region. Rayalaseema will soon become a horticulture hub,” Srinivasulu said.“Around seven lakh acres have been supplied irrigation water through Pattiseema. The farmers got high yield and they are in a position to pay `60,000 to the farm owner,” he said.
He reiterated that the government will complete the Polavaram project by 2019 and through gravity, it will release water to Polavaram right main canal and left main canal. Terming Polavaram as the lifeline of the State, he said the Chief Minister is holding discussions with the Centre to release funds on time for the completion of the project.