Srikakulam: Work on the Heeramandalam reservoir -- the most important component of Stage 11 of Phase 11 Vamsadhara Irrigation project -- is likely to commence within a week.

According to Joint Collector M. Veerabrahmaiah, 1,400 acres has already been acquired for the Heeramandalam reservoir. On the issue of payment of compensation over which some oustees had been agitating, Mr. Veerabrahmaiah said that the average compensation fixed for the lands already acquired was Rs. 1.35 lakh per acre.

8,000 acres needed

Minister for Revenue and Relief Dharamana Prasada Rao would formally issue cheques to some of the oustees at his local office here on Friday. In all Rs. 19 crores would be paid as compensation for the 1,400 acres already acquired, the Joint Collector said. Nearly 8,000 acres would have to be acquired for the 19-tmc capacity reservoir at Heeramandalam.

It may be recalled here that because of objections from the Orissa Government, which is a riparian State, the design of the project has been changed in such a way that its execution would have nothing to do with the Orissa Government. Water would be drawn from Vamsadhara at Katragada village, 48 km upstream of Gotta barrage, through a side weir. Water thus drawn would be emptied into the reservoir at Heeramandalam through a 34-km flood channel. This again would be connected to the existing Gotta Barrge by a link canal. Thus it would create a new ayacut of 1.07 lakh acres and stabilise the 1.48-lakh acres ayacut under the Gotta Barrage through the left main canal.

Balancing reservoirs

The 34-km flood channel from Katragada to Heeramandalam reservoir would have two balancing reservoirs, one at Singidi (package 87) and the other at Parapuram (package 88). The Government has accorded administrative sanction for the project in February last.

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