VIJAYAWADA: Three MLAs and some other former public representatives of the TDP from Prakasam district urged Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat to issue a new Central Gazette notification including the Veligonda irrigation project in the list of approved and authorised projects.
In a letter addressed to the Union Minister on Wednesday, the TDP leaders sought a fresh Gazette to restore Veligonda project’s status so as to protect the rights of farmers of Prakasam district as per the Schedule 11 of the AP Reorganisation Act. The Veligonda project is vital as it is aimed at irrigating 4.59 lakh acres and providing drinking water to 1.5 million people in 29 mandals of fluorine and drought affected areas, they pointed out.
The TDP leaders also sought an appointment with the Jal Shakti Minister to submit a memorandum in person. They told the minister that the survival of the Veligonda project as a whole was threatened by the recent Central Gazette. Velugonda has been dropped from the list of approved projects. This important project was listed as an “unauthorised project” in the “Unapproved” section. Whereas, the Reorganisation Act made it clear that the Veligonda project has all approvals, they informed.
They said that the recent Gazette mentioned that there were no permissions. It was unfair to say that permissions must be obtained within six months. Because of this, the future of the Veligonda project is going to be bleak though it has been under construction for over 25 years. The project is nearing completion and millions of acres of land will be adversely impacted by such actions. This will cause serious damage to Prakasam district, which is reeling under drought, they explained.