HYDERABAD: Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday directed officials to vigorously pursue the process of securing environmental clearance for the Sitarama Sagar Lift Irrigation Scheme.
During a review meeting on irrigation projects of the erstwhile Khammam district, the minister directed officials to remove all hurdles that are delaying the execution of the project.
Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Revenue Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy, Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao, district in-charge minister Vakiti Srihari, MPs, MLAs and MLCs from the erstwhile Khammam district attended the meeting.
Uttam said that he would undertake a comprehensive tour of irrigation projects in the erstwhile Khammam district within a fortnight to review progress. He asked the officials to address issues related to land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R), forest clearances, environmental clearances and court cases on a priority basis.
The minister also directed the irrigation officials to compile all pending requisitions immediately and submit them to district collectors and revenue divisional officers for time-bound action.
On Sitarama LIS, he stressed the need to expedite all pending environmental clearances. Officials informed him that the project had already secured Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) clearance, also known as Techno-Economic Clearance, from the Central Water Commission (CWC).
The minister, meanwhile, instructed officials to expedite compensation payments and negotiated settlements wherever feasible. He directed officials to secure all required forest clearances by the end of July and ensure that contractors do not cite land-related issues as reasons for delays.
The minister also directed officials to expedite land acquisition for the Munneru-Palair Link Canal. Officials informed him that the proposed 9-km gravity canal required acquisition of about 317 acres in four villages. Surveys had been completed in two villages and were pending in the remaining two. The estimated cost of land acquisition was around Rs 30 crore.
Uttam accorded an in-principle approval to the proposal made by minister Srinivasa Reddy to lift water from Sitarama Lift Package-I to the Bayyaram upland tribal areas in Yellandu Assembly constituency.
