Andhra Pradesh - Tirupati   

Pothireddypadu: parties face intellectuals' flak

Staff Reporter

TIRUPATI: Intellectuals from various walks of life have urged the political parties not to politicise Pothireddypadu, the lifeline of Rayalaseema. At a meet on `Rayalaseema's rights over Krishna water' conducted here on Tuesday, former Vice-Chancellors, retired engineers, bureaucrats and others asked politicians to see reality and desist from scuttling the project. In the garb of targeting the Government, the parties were, in fact, doing great harm to the region.

K. Rami Reddy, a retired engineer, pointed out that the drought-prone region had only 17.1 per cent of land under irrigation against 27 per cent in Telangana and 60.7 per cent in Coastal Andhra.

Of the 2,746 tmcft water received by the State from the Godavari, the Krishna, the Penna and other rivers, Rayalaseema should rightfully get 723 tmcft on the basis on ayacut extent but it was getting a paltry 122.70 tmcft, he rued.

Confusing claims

Former Vice-Chancellors — R. Ramamurthy, P. Murali (both of SVU) and P.V. Arunachalam (Dravidian University) — said it was important to create public awareness in the wake of the confusing claims made by leaders of Telangana.

Members of the engineering fraternity explained how sea-bound water could be tapped and preserved during 30 days of flooding. Centre for Rayalaseema Studies' convenor Bhuman said the State got an allocation of 800 tmcft in the Bachawat tribunal by `showcasing' Rayalaseema's backwardness and felt it was ridiculous that the region was being denied its due share.

They unanimously resolved to make an open appeal to parties to bring down curtains on the needless controversy over the Pothireddypadu head regulator.

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