The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Controversies not new to Pulichintala project

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Oct 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Controversies not new to Pulichintala project

By S.Ramu

WAJINEPALLY (NALGONDA DT.), OCT. 10. The Pulichintala project proposed to be constructed on the Krishna in between Nagarjunasagar and Prakasam barrage has once again taken centre stage.

Even as heated debates on the feasibility and utility of the project continue, the Congress Government is determined to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time.

In fact the project has been mired in controversies since British rule. It is said that there was a proposal to construct the project at Daidali in the erstwhile Palnadu taluk in Guntur district in 1903. However, for reasons unknown the plan was shelved.

The then Chief Ministers - D. Sanjeevaiah and N. T. Rama Rao -- had taken the initiative and laid the foundation stones in 1962 and 1988 respectively. Somehow their plans did not work out. Now the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, is all set to perform `bhoomi puja' at Madipadu in Guntur district on October 15 amid protests by the People's War.

Background

The exact location of this Rs. 607.25-crore multipurpose project is Pulichintala of Bellamkonda mandal in Guntur district on the right side and Wazinepalli of Mellacheruvu mandal in Nalgonda district on the left. "In order to make available timely water supply to the Krishna delta during the transplantation period, i.e. June and July, it is proposed to form this terminal reservoir with a live storage capacity of 982.5 metric cubic meters," according to official documents.

Submersion of land

Due to construction of the project, land in ten villages in Nalgonda district and nine in Guntur district will be submerged. Official records state that about 4,361 families will be affected and 7113.53 hectares, of which about 4552.27 hectares fall under `private land' category, will be submerged. Though there is a rehabilitation package, it has not reached those likely to be affected.

Advantage Krishna delta

It is also estimated that the water that could be stored in the reservoir would help in stabilising the Krishna delta ayacut comprising Krishna, West Godavari, Guntur and Prakasam districts. "By using this water, an additional paddy production of 6.74 quintals per hectare can be achieved. As a result, the total extra annual income will be Rs. 113.6 crores in the delta. An additional yield of 40,000 tonnes of pulses can be achieved resulting in an additional benefit of Rs. 80 crores per annum," the document stated.

Given the background, the anti-project activists argue that Nalgonda district ryots are not going to benefit from the project.

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