The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Water, water everywhere but......

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 10, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Water, water everywhere but......

Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD: The 26-year-old Gundlavagu irrigation project in Khammam district continues to baffle officials who are moving heaven and earth to arrest the heavy seepage, which has defeated the very purpose of providing water for irrigation.

The project was launched in 1976-77 and completed up to the elevation level of 107.80 metres in 1979, when officials found leakage from the bund. The Government, which had spent a lot of money, constituted an expert committee in 1985 to suggest remedial measures.

After a detailed examination, the committee recommended stopping of seepage. Notwithstanding its suggestions, the problem could not be tackled.

Panel after panel

This forced the Government to name another committee in 1990 which failed to come up with tips even as seepage continued. A third committee constituted in 1997 was successful in making recommendations, which saw the leakage being arrested to 95 per cent. The Irrigation department had spent a fortune containing it.

Major Irrigation Minister P. Lakshmaiah told the Assembly on Friday that Rs.13.28 crores was spent on arresting the seepage. After more than 25 years, officials programmed to supply water for kharif 2007 to irrigate 2,580 acres. The balance work of weir and work of excavation of canals would be completed during 2006-07.

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Andhra Pradesh