ONGOLE : Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy will lay foundation stone for Rs. 745-crore second tunnel at Dornala on June 3 to complete Velugonda project in its entirety and provide irrigation to 4.25 lakh acres as originally envisaged in Prakasam, Nellore and Kadapa districts.

He will come by helicopter from Kurnool district and land at Dornala at 11.30 a.m. on Saturday to lay the foundation stone. He will later fly to Giddalur where he will lay foundation stone for protected water supply scheme at Bhiravagundala to supply water to 14 villages. He will also address a public meeting at Giddalur. After thathe will leave for Nellore district at 2 p.m.

As both Dornala and Giddalur are close to the naxal infested Nallamala forest, police are making elaborate bundobust for the Chief Minister`s visit.

The Congress Government took up Rs. 3456 crore Velugonda project to draw 43 tmc ft of water from foreshore of Srisailam project and bring the same through 18 km long tunnel through Nallamala forest to Velugonda reservoir to irrigate drought affected areas in three district. But the officials reduced the tunnel size from 11 metres to seven metres in the first phase to irrigate only 1.25 lakh acres mostly in Prakasam district.

There was widespread resentment over the truncated project and even Congress MLAs demanded that the project should be taken up in its entirety to ally fears of the people that the second phase would never be taken up. Dr. Reddy bowed to their pressure and agreed to take up second tunnel with nine meters diameter to provide irrigation to the entire ayacut as originally envisaged fulfilling the long cherished dream of these parched areas.

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