The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Work on two lift schemes in full swing

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, May 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Work on two lift schemes in full swing

M. Malleswara Rao

Stage set for open debate on Pushkaram

STRONG FOUNDATION: Pushkaram lift-irrigation project work in progress at Purushottapatnam in East Godavari district. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

PURUSHOTTAPATNAM: Jala Yagnam doesn't appear to be mere political slogan. It is a reality at this remote forest habitation in East Godavari district on the left bank of the Godavari. Villages can hardly fail to notice the brisk work on their dream project Pushkaram which will be the first to tap the unused portion of Godavari waters.

A visiting team of Hyderabad-based journalists found the site abuzz with activity on Saturday overlooking the vast expanse of Cotton Barrage backwaters. At work were machines, cranes and poclains. The scene was no different on the right side of the river at Thatipudi where another lift scheme is under execution.

Executed by Kirloskars and NCC at an estimated cost of Rs. 150 crores, works on the present packages reached a reached a feverish pitch at both sites.

On the fast track

The two lifts give a beginning to the much-delayed Polavaram project each tapping 15 tmcft from the river to irrigate 2.86 lakh acres in East and West Godavari districts. They have been taken up as "fast track" projects to ensure benefits by kharif, pending construction of Polavaram which may suffer delay on the issue of Central clearances. But when the big project comes up, it will supplement the two lifts apart from serving its own ayacut (8 lakh acres); diverting 80 tmcft to Krishna Barrage and generating 950 MW of power.

Pushkaram and Thatipudi will lift Godavari waters to a height of 30-40 metres by pumpsets. At Tadipuri, three massive sump wells have been constructed to draw the river waters. Digging is on for laying a 7-km pipeline to transfer these waters to a cistern on a hillock through pumpsets consuming nearly 10 MW. A 80-km-long canal takes the water from the cistern by gravitation.

The crops to benefit will be paddy, sugarcane and chillis. Arrangements are being made to link this canal to the right bank canal of the Polavaram project. Two intake wells have been constructed for Pushkaram and pipeline laid for 6 km. Its canal will be linked to the Polaravam left canal.

Opinion is divided on the projects. Surisetti Sreenu and others, who were found fishing in the river, welcomed the Government initiative but wanted proper compensation for their lands.

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