NELLORE: A three-man committee was formed to expedite Somasila High-Level canal phase-1 and 2 works. Joint Collector (Rythu Bharosa and revenue) MN Harendira Prasad, Forest officer A Nagendra and Superintendent Engineer of the irrigation department Krishna Rao are the members of the panel.
Nellore District Collector KVN Chakradhar Babu issued orders, tasking the three-men committee to monitor the Somasila project works, Kandaleru project, pending land acquisition and rehabilitation and relief implementation and stage-2 works. The committee was formed after a group of people, who would be benefitted from the Somasila high-level project and the Veligonda project, approached the district administration citing delays in the execution of works and land acquisition process.
The Somasila High-Level canal, once completed, will provide irrigation water to around 90,000 acres and drinking water to 2.5 lakh people of upland mandals both in Atmakur and Udayagiri segments of Nellore district.
“It was a long-pending dream for the people of the region. Once completed, the project will benefit the farmers in upland mandals of Udayagiri and Atmakur segments. Phase-I works of Somasila high-level canal cost Rs 853 crore and Rs 648 crore is the estimated cost of the phase-II works. Extension works of the Somasila north canal at an estimated cost of Rs 632 crore were started. The irrigation project works are going at a fast pace and steps will be taken to complete the project on time,” said Atmakur MLA and Minister for Industries, IT and Skill Development Mekapati Goutham Reddy.
Around 5 tmc of water will be supplied for the upland mandals in Atmakur and Udayagiri segments. The project needs 5,320 acres of land for the two phases and revenue officials have completed land acquisition of 2,690 acres.