VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, during a review on Polavaram and other irrigation projects on Monday, emphasised the need for interlinking of five rivers in the State to make AP drought-proof.
Officials were directed to draft the plan for ‘Ananta Sangamam’ (interlinking of five major rivers and water bodies in the State). He said already Godavari and Krishna rivers were interlinked and now the focus is on the interlinking of Vamsadhara and Nagavali in Srikakulam along with minor rivers, with Krishna, Godavari, and Penna.
Pointing out at 25.58 per cent deficit rainfall in the State, he wanted to ensure sufficient storage of surface water and groundwater in future by interlinking of rivers and other water bodies. Officials of the Water Resources department were directed to complete the ongoing irrigation project works at the earliest and also focus on micro-irrigation.
They informed the Chief Minister that canal linking Vamsadhara and Bahudha rivers will be completed by December, while Moolapalli project will be completed by Sankranti. The tender process for Vaikuntapuram barrage and Godavari-Penna interlinking phase -1 is in the final phase.
The Chief Minister directed them to get clearances and other permissions from the Ministry of Forest and Environment at the earliest. He was informed that by next week, jet grouting works of Polavaram Project will be completed. Currently, 96.9 per cent of those works have been done. Till date, 59.32 per cent of the project works have been completed.
Officials were directed to expedite relief and rehabilitation work of the national project at the earliest and ensure that satisfaction levels of the project displaced are high. Till date, land acquisition for the project in West Godavari has been completed and another 55,858.6 acres are needed to be acquired in East Godavari district.