Uttam: Congress will consider making Narayanpet-Kodangal Lift Irrigation operational

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy has assured a delegation of leaders from the erstwhile Mahabubnagar district, including MLAs, that the Congress government would consider taking up the Narayanpet-Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme.

A delegation comprising MLAs Vaketi Srihari Mudiraj (Makhtal), Chittem Parnika Reddy (Narayanpet), Yennam Srinivas Reddy (Mahabubnagar), G Madhusudan Reddy (Devarkadra), and Kalwakurty ex-MLA and CWC special invitee Challa Vamshi Chand Reddy called on the irrigation minister at Dr BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on Monday.

They informed the minister that the Narayanpet-Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme would provide irrigation facilities to the drought-prone areas of Kodangal, Narayanpet, and Makthal Assembly Constituencies. They also referred to GO 69 issued by the then Government of Andhra Pradesh, according to which sanction was given for preliminary investigation and a detailed survey of the proposed scheme.

Irrigation water for 1 lakh acres

The scheme envisages irrigating an ayacut of 1 lakh acres in Narayanpet and Kodangal constituency in Narayanpet and Vikarabad districts including a drinking water facility to enroute villages by lifting 7.10 TMC water from Budpur Balancing Reservoir under Lift-I of RBLIS.

The proposed new ayacut includes 53,745 acres in Kodangal; 25,783 acres in Makthal and 20,472 acres in Narayanpet.

The scheme was given administrative approval at an estimated cost of Rs 1,450 crores in 2014 itself.

Funds for preliminary work released

The delegation informed that administrative approval was accorded for Stage I sanction of the Narayanpet-Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme, and an amount of Rs 133.86 crores was also released. It was decided that tendering would be done in two stages. Unfortunately, the previous BRS government, for distinct reasons, could not justify the demands of the people of these areas and neglected the project despite its viability.

“On behalf of the people of the erstwhile Mahabubnagar District and especially those from Kodangal, Narayanpet, and Makthal Assembly constituencies, we request you to ensure that the project is sanctioned and executed at the earliest opportunity,” the delegation requested the minister.

Responding to the representation, Uttam Kumar Reddy assured that the State government would seriously consider the proposed scheme and take the necessary measures.

‘BRS government neglected people’s needs’

He criticised the previous BRS government for neglecting the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people of Telangana.

On one hand, the BRS government wasted and misappropriated thousands of crores of public money in the name of Kaleshwaram, Palamuru Rangareddy, and other projects. On the other side, it neglected the completion of pending projects which could’ve been completed by spending nominal funds, and combined they could’ve created a huge ayacut. He said the delay in the completion of projects has escalated their costs due to rising inflation and other factors.

The irrigation minister also assured to consider the request of the Mahabubnagar MLAs’ delegation for the sanction of Rs 9 crores for Sangambanda and completion of Koyal Sagar pending works.

Rehabilitation of Sangambanda pending

The release and rehabilitation package of Sangambanda is pending due to the non-clearance of compensation for the lands acquired for the project. The victims have erected a stone to stop the flow of water to the project and have been demanding that this obstacle not be removed until they are paid their compensation. Therefore, the MLAs have urged the irrigation minister to release the compensation amount to get the stone removed and begin water supply, which would benefit about 9-10 villages.

Similarly, the Mahabubnagar and Devarkadra MLA demanded the release of additional water to Koyalsagar from the Jurala project to meet the drinking and irrigation needs of rural and urban areas in their constituencies.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the issues raised by Mahabubnagar leaders would be considered by discussing with the top officials.

Further, he said the water sources for the Palamuru Rangareddy Project would be identified. Wherever there is a chance of releasing/utilising the water, those works will be completed on priority, he said.