GUNTUR: With Phase-1 works of Varikapudisela Lift Irrigation Project gaining pace, so have the hopes of people of Palnadu region. The idea of the project was conceived in 1952. Even though the foundation stone for the project was laid three times by former chief ministers—N Chandrababu Naidu in 1996, 2017, and by late YS Rajasekhara Reddy in 2008, but the project did not move forward.
The first phase of the project would irrigate 24,900 acres in Veldurthi mandal and the second phase serves 47,876 acres in Durgi and Bollapalli mandals. Though the government has permitted the first phase works to begin and sanctioned `340 crore through a Special Purpose Vehicle, the bottleneck of the project is the acquisition of 50 acres of forest land.
Recently, Collector Vivek Yadav inquired with the revenue officials if there was any progress in land acquisition. He said that land has been acquired and once we get clearance from the forest department, the works will start be immediately. After the completion of the project, about 72,776 acres of land will get irrigation water in Palnadu region.