AP Govt committed to complete irrigation projects

Hyderabad, Dec 31 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government is committed to complete the irrigation projects taken up under the Jalayagnam with a view to providing water for irrigation in remote areas, Major Irrigation Minister Ponnala Lakshmaiah said today.

Talking to newspersons after the Division Bench of the High Court granted a temporary stay on the order of the National Environment Appellate Authority (NEAA), which had set aside the clearances granted by the Environment and Forest Ministry for the Polavaram project.

He said the government had taken up the prestigious Polavaram project only to save the unutilised river water flowing into the sea to provide irrigated water for agricultural purpose.

Alleging that the opposition TDP, CPI(M), TRS and the BJP, were politicising the Polavaram project issue only to gain political mileage, he charged them with obstructing development activities.

Accusing the TDP of not bothering about agriculture and the problems of farmers during its nine-year rule, he said the Congress government during the last three years had provided water to 12 lakh acres of agricultural lands.

Taking objection to TRS president K Chandrasekhara Rao's statement of filing caveats in High Court and the Supreme Court on the Polavaram project, he said the state government had taken up projects like Yellampalli, Pranihata, Chevella, Rajiv Sagar, Indira Sagar, Kalwakurthi and Nettampadu in Telangana region before taking clearance with a view to providing water to remote areas in Telanagana region.

He noted that the Maharasthra Government had not stopped the construction of Babli project despite the Union Government and the Supreme Court orders not to proceed with the project.

Mr Lakshmaiah appealed to the opposition not to create hurdles for the irrigation projects which would benefit farmers and increase agricultural production.

UNI