SANGAREDDY: The recently elected Congress government has decided to redesign the Sanghameswara and Basaveshwara lift irrigation schemes (LIS), which had been approved by the former BRS government. These projects aimed to provide irrigation water to 3.5 lakh acres in the district at an estimated cost of Rs 4,500 crore. This decision has been made following the suggestion of district minister C Damodar Rajanarasimha, said sources.
The minister has reportedly directed irrigation officials to explore the feasibility of cultivating crops over a larger area through small irrigation schemes along the Manjeera River as an alternative to the expenditure of Rs 4,500 crore to irrigate nearly 3.5 lakh acres. The previous government had greenlit the construction, but the current administration plans to redirect Godavari waters from the Kondapochamma reservoir in the Gajwel constituency to the Singur project, utilising a canal under construction near Sangareddy.
However, there are several hurdles to the current plan as well. The works are yet to reach the Narsapur constituency and there are issues in land acquisition for the canal construction. Consequently, the Congress government is contemplating alternative routes for the LIS initially planned for the Singur project. Despite rumours that the government might cancel the Sanghameswara and Basaveshwara LIS, Rajanarasimha, while denying such claims, on Tuesday, clarified that the government will implement cost-effective small lift irrigation projects to irrigate extensive crop areas.
During a Praja Palana programme in Narayankhed, the minister refuted the speculations when questioned by local reporters. Meanwhile, former minister T Harish Rao had laid the foundation for a pump house related to the Basaveshwara LIS in Narayankhed constituency, and work commenced accordingly.
Jai Bheem, Executive Engineer of Narayankhed Division, told TNIE that works have been halted since the elections. While nearly Rs 10 crore have been allocated for the project, bills up to Rs 7 crore have been settled with the contractor. The government’s instructions will guide further action regarding the projects, he added.
Meanwhile, authorities have reportedly spent nearly Rs 1 crore on constructing the pump house for the Sanghameswara LIS in Zaheerabad constituency. Work on the project has come to a standstill as farmers have taken legal action concerning the land acquired by the authorities for pump house construction.