Uttam Kumar Reddy inaugurates Ramagundam Lift Irrigation Scheme, vows to fight tooth and nail against Banakacherla project
He was speaking at a public meeting after inaugurating the Ramagundam Lift Irrigation Scheme at Goliwada village in Anthergaon mandal of Peddapalli district on Sunday. It was built at ₹75 crore to irrigate over 13,000 acres in several villages in Anthergaon mandal and two villages in the neighbouring mandals. Ministers D Sridhar Babu, Ponnam Prabhakar, Tummala Nageshwara Rao and others spoke.
'We have complained against the Banakacherla project with the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB), the Central Water Commission (CWC) and other statutory bodies. The Central Expert Appraisal Committee has rejected the proposal following our strong objections,' the Irrigation Minister said. 'The proposed Polavaram-Banakacherla link project is against the Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act and violates Telangana's rights over river waters.'
Mr. Reddy alleged that the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) was constructed at a huge cost with the intention of looting public money during the BRS government, resulting in huge drain on the State exchequer. 'Not a single acre was brought under irrigation cover under the KLIP in Manthani constituency where the project is located,' he added.
The National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report exposed the serious structural deficiencies in the three barrages of the KLIP. The report pointed out that if water is stored in these barrages, it would lead to the submergence of 44 villages and areas surrounding Bhadrachalam, he said.
He announced a sanction of ₹1.1 crore to prepare the Detailed Project Report for the Pathipaka reservoir in Peddapalli district.
Later, the ministers handed over new ration cards to eligible beneficiaries at a meeting held in Dharmaram mandal headquarters.
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