ENGROSSED: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy going through the photo exhibition on irrigation projects during the Rajiv Project Baata programme in Prakasam district on Sunday.

ONGOLE: Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said that the Government would not tolerate any compromise on quality and time schedule in construction of irrigation projects and made it clear that stern action would be taken against engineers and contractors concerned.

Addressing irrigation review meeting held at the site of Gundlakamma project on Sunday, Mr. Rajasekhara Reddy said that the Government laid great emphasis on quality because it wanted the projects to last at least for the next 100 to 200 years.

EPS system

Government offered the best relief and rehabilitation package in the country for the displaced persons and asked the officials to adopt humanitarian approach in fixing compensation.

He said that the Government was adopting Engineering Procurement and Contract (EPC) system to complete the projects on time and avoid cost over-runs that plagued irrigation projects before.

He asked the engineers to ensure that the contractors take up earth works and structures simultaneously. He held a detailed review of all major, medium and minor irrigation projects being constructed in Prakasam district for more than two hours. He expressed happiness over the progress of Gundlakamma project taken up at a cost of Rs. 450 crore to impound 12 tmcft of water to irrigate 60,000 acres in kharif and 80,000 acres in rabi season. The relief and rehabilitation package cost came to nearly Rs. 175 crore or 40 per cent of the cost of the project.

Land acquisition drive

He asked the engineers and contractors to take it up as a challenge and supply water to 30,000 acres by next kharif season and the entire ayacut by July 2007. He asked the Collector to expedite land acquisition necessary for this. He said Special Secretary, Irrigation, Satish Chandra would get permission from National Highways Authority of India for canal formation across NH 5 within one month.

Following complaints from some people that more areas got submerged due to floods in October this year than marked by the officials, the Chief Minister asked the Collector to conduct re-survey of the villages and acquire their lands too if necessary. Dr. Reddy has asked Joint Collector Varaprasad to complete relief and rehabilitation package in the next two to three months.

He said that it should be completed at least six months ahead of project completion to avoid any hardship to people. He said that the Government is spending nearly Rs. 60,000 per acre to provide irrigation under this project.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail