Andhra Pradesh - Guntur   

DRC seeks extension of water release schedule

Photo: T. Vijaya Kumar

Social Welfare Minister Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose with Technical Education Minister M. Venkata Ramana at the District Review Committee meeting in Guntur on Saturday.

GUNTUR: The District Review Committee meeting held here on Saturday resolved to extend the schedule of release of water from the Nagarjuna Sagar Project Right Canal by 10 more days.

Social Welfare Minister and also in-charge Minister for the district Pilli Subhash Chandra Bose informed the members that about 10 tmc ft of water was still available in the reservoir and water could be released for about 10 days to serve drinking water and irrigational needs of the people. The Government has decided to stop water supply from April 15 in view of the dead storage levels at Nagarjuna Sagar dam which stood at 510 feet.

Earlier, members cutting across party lines expressed concern over the acute shortage of drinking water in the district at the District Review Committee meeting held here on Saturday.

Stating that the situation was grim, Mr. Bose announced that the State Government has released Rs.2.39 crore under the Contingency Relief Fund (CRF) to supply water through tankers, to undertake flushing of borewells and deepening of borewells.

Crisis

The crisis is severe in Narasaraopet, Macherla and Vinukonda mandals with Bollapalli mandal being the worst hit. The borewells in many villages in Bollapalli mandal have gone completely dry, forcing the villagers to depend on water tankers.

District Collector B. Ramajaneyulu reasoned that the district had recorded 40 per cent deficit rainfall last year. Stating that 447 borewells in 95 villages have gone dry, he said as per the action plan villages were divided into four groups basing on the severity of water crisis and special officers have been appointed for all the 17 constituencies.

The meeting also resolved to hand over the Nallakaluva water tank to the Guntur Municipal Corporation.

The tank spread over 86 acres in Nallapadu could act as summer storage tank and help mitigate water woes facing the city.

Members also found fault with the procedural delays affecting sand auctions and wanted the Government to amend the Act empowering the Collector to conduct the auctions. The auctions presently were being held by the Sand Committee headed by the Joint Collector. But a feasibility report by the ground water department and River Conservator was made mandatory for the conduct of auctions.

The Collector assured that revenue from the auctions could touch Rs.30 crore this year. Auctions were yet to be conducted for four platforms pending a High Court enquiry.

Ministers K. Lakshminarayana, M. Venkata Ramana Rao, D.M Vara Prasada Rao, Deputy Speaker N. Manohar, MPs R. Sambasiva Rao, M. Venugopala Reddy, Deputy Chairperson of Legislative Council Md. Jani and MLAs were present.

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