ONGOLE: State Water Resources Minister Nimmala Ramanaidu on Tuesday said Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu will distribute rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) compensation to families displaced by the Veligonda Project later this month.
He said the government had recently sanctioned `905 crore through an additional budget allocation towards compensation and rehabilitation of project-displaced families to facilitate filling of the Nallamala Sagar Veligonda reservoir at the earliest.
The minister visited Dornala and inspected works under the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda Reservoir Project (PSVRP), including the twin tunnels, removal of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) stuck in Tunnel-2, feeder canal lining works and other ongoing activities.
Accompanied by officials, Nimmala Ramanaidu entered the twin tunnels and reviewed the ongoing tunnel lining works and TBM removal operations.
Later, he held a review meeting with officials and representatives of the contracting agencies and briefed the media on the project’s progress.
The Water Resources Minister said, “Head regulator retaining wall, wings and return works of the project are completed. Out of 1.80 lakh cubic metres of mud to allow 1 TMC water from Kollam Vagu into the tunnels, so far 58,000 cubic metres have been removed. Out of 1.20 lakh cubic metres of mud blocking water flow in Tunnel 1, 40,000 cubic metres have been removed.”
“Coming to the lining works, out of 7 km of lining in Tunnel 2, in 20 months since the coalition government came to power, a total of 5.5 km of lining works were completed. The remaining 1.5 km of lining works are progressing to be completed by the end of July,” he added.
“The unnel Boring Machine (TBM) removal works in Tunnel 2, which got stuck there, 3 out of 7 compartments have been brought out so far. The engineering experts are also examining the option to bury the complex head of the TBM right there in the tunnel itself,” the Minister added.
Nimmala Ramanaidu said authorities began the 5.3-km retaining wall works in the feeder canal in January and completed them within five months.
He directed officials and agency representatives to accelerate the 21-km canal lining works, which he said were progressing slowly.
He said construction of a cement concrete wall was underway to plug a major breach in the feeder canal caused by Cyclone Montha and would be completed soon. The Teegaleru Canal, Eastern Main Canal and permanent diversion road works would also be completed by the end of June.
“As per Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu’s directions, works are under way to fill the prestigious Nallamala Sagar Veligonda reservoir before the season starts,” the minister said.
Criticising the previous YSRCP government, Nimmala Ramanaidu alleged that its leaders claimed no funds had been allocated for the Veligonda Project while failing to provide funds for the project and support displaced families during their five-year tenure.
He said the coalition government had stood by the affected families by allocating funds through an additional budget for R&R and compensation payments.