GUNTUR: Narasaraopet MP Lavu Srikrishnadevarayalu has said that the Palnadu region has been reeling under drought for the past 50 years. Highlighting water crisis in the Narasaraopet Parliamentary constituency during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, he said though Nagarjuna Sagar dam is located close to the region, it has failed to mitigate the drought problem.
In view of this, the Union government should take steps to resolve water problems in the region under the Jal Sakthi Abhiyan.
In the past few days, several parliamentarians spoke about water crises, most of which were man-made disasters, in their respective constituencies. The Narasaraopet MP said the people of Palnadu had dreamt of relief from water woes when the Nagarjuna Sagar was being built, but it failed to bring them even a drop of water in the last 50 years.
If the Jal Shakti Ministry makes a proper study of drought-prone areas in the country, it will find the Palnadu region is reeling under continuous dry spell, he said and urged the government to accord sanction to the proposed lift irrigation project at Varikaselapudi.
He wanted forest clearance to be given for 5 acres of land for taking up the project to provide drinking and irrigation water to the Palnadu region.
The backwaters of River Krishna reach Varikaselapudi 5 tmcft water is always available at Varikaselapudi in Nallamada forest area located in Veldurthi Mandal of Guntur district. The five Mandals of Veldurthi, Durgi, Pullacheruvu, Bollapalli, Yeragondapalem, Vinukonda and Macherla Mandals in Guntur and Prakasam districts will get drinking and irrigation water through this project.
He said that once the project is completed, more than 4.5 lakh people living in 90 villages would get drinking water and 1.2 lakh acres in Palnadu region would get water for irrigation. Groundwater is available at a depth of 1,500 to 2,000 feet in the Palnadu, he added.