The Hindu : Policy to tap surplus waters in the offing, says Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 07, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

Policy to tap surplus waters in the offing, says Naidu

By Our Special Correspondent

VISAKHAPATNAM NOV. 6. The Government is working out an integrated policy approach towards irrigation projects in the State, so that the available surplus waters are fully utilised, groundwater table is charged to optimum level through rainwater harvesting and wastage of water is minimised by adopting techniques like drip and micro-irrigation, the Chief Minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, said here on Thursday.

Addressing mediapersons during his brief stopover at the airport before embarking on his tour of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts, he said that the power generation potential of these projects would also be tapped.

Mr. Naidu, who was here for the first time after the October 1Alipiri blast incident, devoted a major portion of the tete-a-tete for spelling out the Government's determination to make the State "drought-proof.'' Unfolding the scheme, he said that with only the Godavari river having surplus waters, the Government was keen on tapping the 3,000 tmcft that was going waste into the Bay of Bengal.

The Chief Minister revealed that Ichchampalli, Devidila, Dummugudem and Polavaram projects would be speeded up as per the integrated policy approach, so that lakhs of acres of ayacuts could be created apart from stabilising the existing ones.

Asked whether he had revised his opinion on executing the Polvaram project, he said that since the Rs. 8,000-crore project had several beneficial spin-offs like assuring water to upland areas of the Godavari and north coastal Andhra districts, transferring substantial quantum of water to the Krishna basin thereby saving 100 tmcft in the Prakasam Barrage and guaranteeing adequate drinking water to people in the region, besides generating 2000 MW of hydel power, "the Government will go ahead with the project even if it impels surrendering 30 to 40 tmcft to Karnataka.''

In this connection, he revealed that he had already had discussions with the chairman of the national river grid body, Suresh Prabhu, who had responded in a positive manner.

"The Government of Austria is also willing to assist the State Government in executing such projects.''

The Government would also intensify its efforts at completing irrigation projects based on the water flow by gravity, he said.

Mr. Naidu said he would be laying foundation-stones for Thotapalli, Narayanapuram and Pedagedda projects in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts which when executed would assure irrigation for 1,40,000 acres. The total cost of these schemes was Rs. 490 crores.

He also referred to a number of projects in the pipeline in and around Visakhapatnam like Pharma City, Special Economic Zone projects, information technology projects and Volkswagen unit, and said that they would be completed in a time-bound manner.

On arrival at the airport along with the Minister for Major Irrigation, Kadiam Srihari, Mr. Naidu was received by the Deputy Mayor, Malla Appala Raju, the District Collector, Sunil Sharma, the Ministers from Vizag, Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu and M. Manikumari, the city MP, M.V.V.S. Murthy, Anakapalle MP, Ganta Srinivasa Rao, TDP legislators, party functionaries and top district officials.

The Chief Minister later motored in an open jeep acknowledging the greetings of party workers assembled outside the airport.

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