Works to restore Kaleshwaram Barrages to begin after flood season: Minister

HYDERABAD

The Congress government is committed to complete the Pranahita-Chevella project with the main barrage at Tummidihetti, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said and instructed the authorities to prepare proposals for construction of the barrage.

At a meeting held with the officials of the Irrigation department here on Monday, he said as promised the government would continue the Pranahita-Chevella project taken up by the Congress government in the past. He asked the authorities to speed up construction of projects in progress as the present government would be completing two years in office soon.

On the revival of Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) project tunnel work, the Minister said two helicopters were arranged already for the heli-borne aerial magnetic survey.

He told the authorities to pursue water allocation and technical advisory committee clearance for Sammakka-Sarakka Project at the Central Water Commission (CWC) meeting scheduled in New Delhi on September 23 and also to hold talks with Chhattisgarh officials for getting inter-State clearance.

The Minister further instructed the authorities to prepare proposals for getting funds from the Centre for Sitammasagar, Modikuntavagu, Chanakha-Korata distributary canals and Chinna Kaleshwaram project.

On the Kaleshwaram Project, he said restoration works would be taken up on Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla Barrages as per the suggestions and recommendations of the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) so that works could be completed before the commencement of the next flood (monsoon) season.

At the same time, he wanted the irrigation officials to get the works of the barrages to be taken up based on the NDSA recommendations tested with the experts of IIT Hyderabad. He stated that the works would be taken up immediately after the ongoing flood season. He told them to give priority to the works of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme by completing land acquisition, rehabilitation and forest clearances.

Asking the officials to submit a report on the Package 3 and 6 works of Devadula LIS by the next Cabinet meeting and hold a meeting with the local elected representatives on the construction of an alternative bridge to reduce the impact of increasing vehicular traffic on the Jurala Project bridge.

On de-siltation of projects taken up for the first time in the country, the Minister said the State government would earn a revenue of ₹3,000 crore to ₹4,000 crore. From the de-siltation of Mid Manair, Kaddam, Jurala, Nagarjunasagar, Sriramsagar, Nizamsagar and Hussainsagar being taken up in the first phase, the government would get a revenue of ₹500 crore.