SIDDIPET: Despite criticism by Opposition parties, the State government could provide irrigation facility under the Mallannasagar project, Finance Minister T Harish Rao said on Tuesday while releasing water to Kudavelli Vagu from the project.
Rao clarified that other irrigation projects, including the Kaleshwaram project, have been constructed to ensure that Telangana farmers do not have to look at the sky waiting for rains. He said that irrigation and drinking water problems had been solved permanently. He said that six decades of unfinished work had been completed in just six years.
On Tuesday, Godavari waters were released from the Mallannasagar project canal near Kodakandla village in Kondapaka mandal into the Kudavelli canal. The farmers expressed happiness when the water entered the canal.
It may be noted that with the drying up of the check dams at Koodavelli canal, farmers who have been cultivating paddy crops were worried from some time and had asked the Minister for Godavari waters. Harish Rao brought the matter to the notice of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, who directed to divert the water, which was done in three days. At 8 am in the morning, a large number of farmers came to watch Rao release water into the Kudavelli canal.
Rao termed the development a historic event. He said 800 cusecs of water would be released per day into the canal. About 34 check dams would be filled as a result. He recalled that when the construction work of Mallannasagar project had started, the Opposition had raised doubts over its completion.