VIJAYAWADA: Nallamada Rythu Sangham expressed his dismay over non-allocation of funds in the budget for the extension of Guntur Channel, which has been a long-standing demand of farmers of Nallamada region in Guntur and Prakasam districts.
In a press release here on Saturday, Sangham president Dr. Kolla Rajamohan said grave injustice was done to Nallamada region in the State budget. “There is no allocation of funds for Guntur Channel extension works and modernisation of Nallamada drain, which has become a bane of farmers of the region,” he said.
Dr. Rajamohan reminded that the then Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy promised to extend the Guntur Channel till Prathipadu during a public meeting in 2006. At a meeting in Bapatla, YSR assured to take up modernisation of Nallamada drain. The promises were reiterated in Parchur, Kakumanu and Pedda Nandipadu also.
The farmers of Nallamada, which is in the grip of drought, had succeeded in getting all requisite permissions for the proposed projects. “Our long sustained public movement for Guntur Channel extension had finally made the previous TDP government invite tenders for the project execution. The contractor had also completed the project survey.
However, the new government decided to cancel all the engineering works that were not grounded. Guntur Channel extension and Nallamada drain modernisation works are hit.” he said. He also expressed concern over the allocation of funds for Amaravati - Anantapur Expressway, which is objected by Rythu Sangham. “It will devastate agriculture and environment in Nallamada region,” he said.
Long-pending demands
Non-allocation of funds in the State budget for 2019-20 for Guntur Channel extension and Nallamada drain modernisation has disappointed people of Nallamada as the two projects are long-pending demands of the region comprising several mandals in Guntur and Prakasam districts