KADAPA: Veligallu project - the long cherished dream of the people of Galiveedu, Lakkireddypalle and Ramapuram mandals, the most droughtprone areas in Kadapa district, is all set to become a reality on December 22.
Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy, who gave a definite shape to the project and ensured its completion as part of Jalayagnam, will be dedicating it to the people. As many as 24,000 acres in 18 villages of Galiveedu, Lakkireddypalle and Ramapuram mandals will be irrigated and the people of those villages will get drinking water.
Four decades ago, when the region was reeling under severe drought, with rainfall below 500 mm as against average rainfall of 760 mm, a young politician from Lakkireddypalle, thought of a plan to address the problem - construct a dam across Papagni river, a tributary to Penna river at two kilometers from Veligallu village in Galiveddu mandal.
R Rajagopal Reddy, a civil engineer by profession, who got elected to the Assembly in 1967, submitted the proposal to the Government.
Though a survey was conducted the proposal was put on back burner. After 15 years when Rajagopal Reddy become a minister he moved the proposal again but to no avail. After a long struggle, finally on November 29, 1995, the then Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu laid foundation stone for the project and administrative sanction of Rs 129.65 crore was made. As the capacity of the project was 4.64 TMC, it was submitted to the Central Water Commission (CWC) for permission.
Pointing out the existence of three projects - Kandukur, Chennarayagudi and Pedaballi reservoirs on upstream of Papagni river and two projects - Peddatippa Samudram, Pedderu project on Pedderu, a tributary of Papagni, CWC put the project in abeyance. After a lot of discussions, finally it gave a green signal to the project in 2000. From then onwards a sum of Rs 7.18 crore was spent on it till March 2004.
When Congress party formed the Government with YS Rajasekhara Reddy at the helm, it took up the construction of irrigation projects in the State on a war footing. As part of Jalayagnam, the project works commenced and were completed a year ago.
The total estimated cost of the project was Rs 208.72 crore.