SIDDIPET: Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao assured that Siddipet-like Water Grid project can be extended and replicated in the entire State to provide potable water to everyone if irrigation department officials put their act together.
In his 20-minute talk to senior officials of water works department of all districts, he ensured that there was enough dose of pep-talk besides offering his suggestions for ambitious Water Grid project. Earlier, he undertook an aerial survey over Lower Manair Dam in Karimnagar. Likening the completion of project to that of achieving Telangana after a longdrawn struggle, Rao said if concerted efforts were made providing water supply to all households in the State was not impossible.
“In pursuit of this endeavour, the way you sweat out for completion of this project is directly linked to safe drinking water provided to people of Telangana,” he told officers who gathered at Siddipet to understand the working of the local water grid which is touted for providing potable water to as many as 180 villages.
Recalling that Siddipet constituency had undergone a serious water crisis in 1990s, forcing the locals to migrate to nearby towns in summer season, he claimed that after completion of the project there has been no problem for last 16 years.
Originally intended to cover 145 villages, the project was extended to 180 villages in the due course providing water through an in-house tap to all households, he added.
He claimed that the project was successful as it had harnessed the advantages provided in form of topography. Water from Lower Manair dam is being pumped to an overhead tank to villages using gravity pipelines at Irkodu Gutta after being treated at filter plants centrally, he explained.
“In designing any such project one needs to see that it is in consonance with nature, thereby, providing long lasting solutions,” he said flaunting a booklet - Telangana contours - and suggesting officials to carry one with them always.
Assuring them that there would be no dearth of funds, he told officials to become torchbearers in achieving Golden Telangana envisaged by the State government. “ There would be advance release of funds to contractors who are employed in this project,” he said.
Of all the districts, he said Mahbubnagar posed a problem in successful implementation of the project and said he would visit Kollapur in the district soon to oversee the works.
‘Harish is a pearl’
KCR assured that Siddipet would be converted into a district soon besides promising to provide rail connectivity and potable drinking water. He listed out three things for Siddipet constituency. “Siddipet is my hometown, I will fulfill these three promises at earliest,” he said. He showered praise on Irrigation Minister and his nephew T Harish Rao. “Harish is the best pearl. He is a good strategist and can garner good funds for the development of the constituency,” he added.