VIJAYAWADA: In a step towards inter-linking of Krishna-Godavari basins, the YSRC government has decided to construct a balancing reservoir at Bollapalli in Guntur district at an estimated cost of Rs 60,000 crore. The objective of the proposed balancing reservoir with a capacity of 150 TMCs is to divert Godavari water from Polavaram to the Banakacherla head regulator.
As per the proposal, which came up during Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy’s review of the water resources department on Monday, around 23,000 cusecs -- two TMC per day (210 TMC) of Godavari water in 105 days -- will be diverted from river Godavari to the Banakacherla head regulator.
Apart from stabilising irrigation water supply to 9.61 lakh acres under the Nagarjunasagar right canal ayacut, the project will irrigate two lakh acres in Kanigiri and Darsi constituencies of Prakasam district under NSP Phase- II and also cater to the drinking water needs of Prakasam and Guntur districts.
Veligonda Project, KC Canal, TGP, SRBC Complex will also be supplemented from the Banakacherla regulator, an official release said.
After studying the daily gauge data of the Godavari for the past 15 years, the WAPCOS estimated that the average flood days with the availability of 1,200 cusecs flow (3.7 TMC) at Polavaram gauge station was arrived as 105 days.
The government decided to make use of the Godavari water flowing into the sea and came up with the plan to construct a reservoir at Bollapalli.
As per the preliminary planning, Godavari water will be diverted to the Krishna through Polavaram right main canal. From there it will be diverted to Nagarjunasagar right canal and then to the proposed reservoir at Bollapalli by lifting water at ‘chainage’ KM 114.500 of Nagarjunasagar right canal.
From Bollapalli, water will be supplied to Veligonda reservoir and a tunnel will be built in Nallamala forest to take water to the Banakacherla head regulator.
Meanwhile, Jagan also underscored the need for completion of the irrigation projects on priority basis. “Notwithstanding financial constraints, we should complete the irrigation projects on a priority basis. We should be very cautious in utilisation of financial resources. First priority should be given to those projects which yield desired results immediately after completion of the works and funds should be spent on the projects accordingly,’’ Jagan opined.
Officials said that works on most of the Jalayagnam scheme of the late YS Rajasekhara Reddy government were pending due to land acquisition problems and delay in getting clearance from the forest department.
The Chief Minister went through the progress of various ongoing irrigation projects as well as those proposed to be taken up and expressed dissatisfaction over some of the reservoirs, particularly those in Rayalaseema, not being filled to the full storage level despite prolonged flood in river Krishna.
“It is sad that reservoirs are not full even though floods continued for several days. Prepare an action plan for increasing the capacity of canals carrying water to reservoirs in Rayalaseema from Srisailam project,’’ Jagan said and instructed officials to submit a detailed report for filling all the reservoirs on Krishna river within 40 days by increasing the capacity of canals.
Explaining the reasons behind some of the reservoirs not reaching the full water level, officials said against the full capacity of 12.44 TMC in Gorakallu reservoir they could fill only up to 9 TMC so far as they need forest department clearance to fill it to the full capacity.
Similarly, Owk reservoir also needed forest clearance, and so far they could fill up to 3.3 TMC of water while its capacity is 4.15 TMC.
When the officials informed him that 5,000 cusecs of water had to be released from Telugu Ganga project to SPVB reservoir in Kadapa, only 1,300 to 2,000 cusecs is being released, Jagan asked them to prepare an action plan to rectify the problem.
He also directed the officials to complete the relief and rehabilitation works in Velugonda, Gandikota and CBR projects and fill them to their full capacity. Earlier, the officials explained to the Chief Minister about the present condition and the water levels in the reservoirs of Krishna, Godavari and Penna basins.