Reconsider Pranahita-Chevella scheme: Lok Satta to Govt

Hyderabad, Nov 22 (UNI) Lok Satta President Jayaprakash Narayan today appealed to the Andhra Pradesh Government ''not to stand on false prestige'' and reconsider the Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi lift irrigation scheme as it was ''uneconomical, unsustainable and technically most complex''.

According to a press release here, he pointed out that Rs 38,5000 crore to be spent on the project could be better utilised not merely to provide irrigation to more areas but also create much greater wealth and employment in the Telangana region through alternative means.

Asking the Government to ponder over better alternatives to turn Telangana green and eliminate poverty in the backward region, he said the diversion of 80 tmc feet of water from the Godavari to the Krishna and construction of the Pulichintala project would take care of the irrigation needs of the Krishna delta ayacut. The water in the Nagarjunasagar project could be then used to serve the Telangana region by widening the Nagarjunasagar Main Left Canal and pushing in greater quantities of water to irrigate an additional 8 lakh acres.

In order to serve lands on higher contours, small lift irrigation schemes with just a few meters of lifting head can be taken up at modest cost. Another 10 lakh acre can be irrigated by going in for lift irrigation schemes along the Godavari in the Telangana region and tapping water in drains and rivulets for construction of medium and small irrigation schemes. Finally, tanks and water harvesting structures could be constructed to tap the rainfall in the Telangana region, which is allowed to flow into the Godavari, he added.

UNI VA VV ADB1725