ONGOLE:Collector Sujatha Sharma has directed fisheries department officials to prepare plans for developing prawn culture in brackish waters, where Vomperu, Musi, Paler and Manneru rivulets merge in the Bay of Bengal.
The collector, who made an inspection of the Buckingham canal and Manneru along with officials of irrigation, revenue and fisheries departments at Chennapallepalem of Vulavapadu mandal in Prakasam district on Wednesday, enquired with fisheries department assistant director Srihari about the favourable conditions for growing Tiger and Vannamei prawns and wanted him to take necessary steps for developing prawn culture.
Meanwhile, as many as 45 MGNREGA workers of Chinnapallepalam complained to the collector that they have not been getting their wages for the last 45 days. Responding immediately, the collector called District Water Management Authority (DWMA) project director Polappa over phone and instructed him to ensure disbursement of payments to the MGNREGA workers at the earliest.
Similarly, responding to another complaint from the villagers about scarcity of drinking water, the collector called Rural Water Supply Superintendent Engineer Sanjeeva Rao and directed him to solve the drinking water crisis in the village.
Minor Irrigation department Executive Engineer Rajanna Naidu, Kandukur RDO Mallikarjuna Rao and others were present.