HYDERABAD: Officials erected the first of the 66 gates to Annaram barrage in Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) on Saturday. The three barrages that are part of Kaleshwaram project are Annaram, Medigadda and Sundilla. Medigadda has 86 gates and Sundilla has 74 gates. Till Saturday, 80 per cent of the cement concrete work had been completed in barrages and pump houses. Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao conducted a surprise visit to the project on Saturday and enquired about the progress of the work. “The remaining 20 per cent of the cement concrete work will be completed in the next two months,” Harish Rao told reporters. In Annaram, Sunddilla and Medigadda barrages, 4.5 cubic metres of earth work out of the total 5.81 crore cubic metres work, have been completed so far.
The Minister said 70 per cent of gravity canal work between Annaram and Kannepalli were completed.
Harish Rao also conducted a review meeting at Kannepalli with officials. He assured the officials that some more engineers would be deputed to Kaleshwaram to continue the project work during the night also. The machinery required for three barrages would be arriving in the State in the next ten days from Japan, Switzerland and Austria, he informed.
The Kannepalli work is very important as the officials planned to lift Godavari water at Kannepalli and divert the water to Yellampalli through Annaram and Sundilla barrages. For this, officials are fixing 17 motors to Kannepalli pump house. Godavari water will be diverted from Kannepalli pump house through 5*3.5 diameter pipes for one and half km. Later, the water will be diverted through gravity canal into Annaram barrage.
Harish Rao also inspected 13.35 km of Kannepalli-Annaram gravity canal work. The earth work for this canal has been almost completed, he said. The approach canal work is very crucial for Kaleshwaram project, the Minister said and directed the officials to complete it by May 31. The power work like laying of electric lines, construction of sub-stations and others were also going on as per schedule, he added.
Release white paper on Kaleshwaram: Jeevan Reddy
Karimnagar: Congress leader and Jagtial MLA T Jeevan Reddy demanded that the State government should release a white paper on the status of Kaleshwaram irrigation project. “Kaleshwaram project was originally named Pranahita-Chevella project by the then Congress government in the erstwhile united State. After coming to power, the TRS government changed the name of the project to Kaleshwaram Project. This was all done to deny credit to Congress,” he said, while addressing the media here on Saturday.
Harish’ car catches fire
Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao’s vehicle caught fire due to overheating at Medigadda in Mahadevpur mandal on Saturday. However, the Minister was in another vehicle and no one was harmed. The fire was doused later.