BHOOPALPALLY/JAGTIAL: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday visited Kaleshwaram project and made an aerial survey of the Godavari river, which now has water over a stretch of nearly 150 km of its course between Medigadda and Dharmapuri.
Chandrasekhar Rao flew over the river and visited various places along its 150-km course from Medigadda to Dharmapuri. Senior bureaucrats, Ministers Etela Rajender, Errabelli Dayakar Rao, and officials from the Irrigation department accompanied chief minister on the visit. This was the chief minister’s first visit in the monsoon season after he inaugurated the Kaleswaram project recently.
KCR interacted with the officials and took stock of the situation. The inflows into the project, extent it would of irrigate among others. Nearly 80 per cent of water was meant for catering to drinking water needs of the state and rest 20 per cent to irrigate the land. At Medigadda barrage, the chief minister offered flowers and special puja to the river Godavari amidst the continued drizzle. The irrigation officials apprised him that 300 TMC of water was released from the Kaleswaram project so far.
KCR later left for Goliwada Pump House. After visiting yoga shala the locals submitted a representation to KCR and from there, he reached the temple town of Dharmapuri. According to a press release, he instructed the irrigation department officials that as Pranahita is receiving one lakh of cusecs inflow of water and wanted them to take safety measures in maintaining Kaleswaram project barrages. He opined that this year about 45 lakh acres in two seasons would get water.
He directed the officials after decreasing the heavy inflow of water from the upper stream the gates, they should be closed and water storage capacity should be maintained at the project. He congratulated the L&T and Irrigation department for finishing the Medigadda project work on time. When he visited Lord Sri Laxminarsimha Swamy temple in Dharmapuri, the authorities according to grand welcome with “Purana Kumbham.” He performed special poojas.
Later, he announced Rs 50 crore for temple renovation in addition to an equal amount already announced earlier. He said he will send Sthapathi Anand Sai who os working at Yadadri for making a design and renovation of Lord Laxminarsimha and Lord Shiva temples. Besides this, he announced Rs 10 lakh for 142 Grama Panchayat each and Rs 25 lakh for each Mandal for 6 mandals. For town development, Rs 10 crores were announced. Within one month works should be started, he said.
Pay attention to Hyd too: Vijayshanthi tells KCR
Congress leader Vijayshanti said the chief minister needed to undertake an aerial survey of Hyderabad also, as waterlogging was a major problem here. “The CM has surveyed KLIS. It is high time he starts looking to Hyderabad. Else, people won’t forgive him during GHMC polls.”