MUSURUMILLI (EAST GODAVARI): The Government unveiled its stand and explained how it would go ahead with the irrigation projects, during the debate on the Musurumilli minor irrigation project, here on Sunday.

This is the first time that the Government held the discussion at the project site, which is some 60 km from Rajahmundry and 7 km from Rampachodavaram.

The adviser to the Government on irrigation, P. Sitapati Rao, chief engineer M. Venkateswara Rao and Congress representative and MLA from Sattenapalli (Guntur district), Y. Venkateswara Reddy, almost cornered the BJP representative, N.V.S.S. Prabhakar.

The team of officials even challenged him to show an alternative proposal, which is better than the current package.

Heated arguments

The debate was marked by heated arguments and allegations and counter-allegations went on for more than 90 minutes.

This is the eighth debate in a row and on June 5, the debate will be on the Indira Sagar (Polavaram).

The adviser to the Government presented the project details in which he mentioned that they had opted for the tunnel system (2.7 km length) than the open cut system for constructing the reservoir with Rs.207 crores.

According to Mr Sitapati Rao, the Musurumillli project is the second project on the Sitapalli Vagu (first is Bhupatipalem reservoir), a tributary of the Godavari, and is designed to irrigate 22,643 acres of land in Rampachodavaram, Devipatnam, Gangavaram, Gokavaram and Korukonda mandals and also provide drinking water to people in five mandals.

4 villages to be submerged

Four villages - Chinnabarangi, Komavaram, Seetapalli and Musurumilli - will submerge fully and three villages, I. Polavaram, Jagarampalli and Tamarapally, in Rampachodavaram mandal, will submerge partially after the construction of the project.

The Government has drafted a rehabilitation package with an outlay of Rs.15.39 crores.

Mr Prabhakar sought the open cut system by which another 10 km canal would be sufficient to complete the project, without going in for tunnel.

He argued that the tunnel would benefit only the contractors.

At this stage, Mr Prabhakar even alleged that Mr Sitapati Rao was not an adviser to the government, but was working for contractors.

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