With the aim of understanding the actual status of the irrigation and drinking water projects in AP and explaining them to the people, former Director General of Police AB Venkateswara Rao undertook tours on August 4, 5, and 6 to inspect the projects under the auspices of the Thinkers’ Forum. He undertook this tour along with Rythu Seva Sanstha President Akkineni Bhavani Prasad and irrigation sector analyst T. Lakshminarayana.
He deplored that for the last fifty to sixty years, we have been observing that the people have been deceived, manipulated, and used only for political purposes on the issue of Krishna River water distribution, irrigation development in Rayalaseema, agricultural development, and water distribution between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Venkateswara Rao said that there is a need to provide clarity to the people of both states on these issues. In the wake of the misunderstandings between people of two states, he invited Telangana political parties and retired engineers to take part in their visit. He said that we should think about how much water is coming in the Krishna River, how much is flowing into the sea, how much water the two states have the capacity to use, and to what extent are we able to utilize that capacity?
What is the status of the projects started 30 years ago today? All the money spent so far has been a “dead investment” and not a single rupee has been earned from it. Where has all this money gone? Who has eaten it? For the benefit of which contractors have these projects been built? How many construction works are still stalled in which project? How much is the cost of them? These issues need to be studied, he said.
What is the percentage of the cost that needs to be spent compared to the cost spent so far? If that amount is not spent, how much loss will the interest be paid on the “dead investment” of tens of thousands of crores of rupees that have been spent so far? He explained that they have decided to visit the projects to provide clarity to the people on these issues.
On August 4, the delegation will visit the main reservoir of the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda project, Nallamala Sagar, and the current status of the construction of two tunnels. On the 5th, the delegation will visit the Pothireddypadu Head Regulator, the Malayala and Muchumarri Lift Irrigation Schemes, which are being built and under construction on the Srisailam reservoir, which divert water to Rayalaseema projects.
It will also visit the Banakacherla Cross Regulator and Velugodu Reservoir. On the 6th, the delegation will visit Gorakall, the main reservoir of the Srisailam Right Branch Canal (SRBC), followed by the Alaganur Reservoir and Sunkesula Dams, before meeting leaders of farmers’ associations and civil society representatives in Kurnool.
