The Hindu : River grid in State mooted

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 26, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Andhra Pradesh

River grid in State mooted

By Our Staff Reporter

KURNOOL Jan. 25. The State secretary of the Andhra Pradesh Raithu Sangham, Sarampalli Malla Reddy (farmer's wing of the CPI(M), has urged the Government to think of river grid in the State before promoting the concept of national river grid. Mr. Reddy said the TDP Government was trying to champion the cause of national river grid but grossly neglected the irrigation sector in the State.

He said much of the problems on irrigation front could be solved by linking the Krishna and the Godavari rivers by constructing projects either at Ichampalli or Polavaram or both. Had the Ichampalli project height been risen to 127 meters, water could have flowed into the Nagarjunasagar by gravity. But the Andhra Pradesh could not take up the project when wind was in favour of large projects due to financial constraints. Now it was almost impossible to get 200 villages relocated in other neighbouring to accommodate the project.

Mr. Malla Reddy highlighted the potential of the Godavari saying that even in a drought year about 500 tmcft flowed into the sea. The Bachawat Tribunal too felt the need for linking the two rivers. On the budgetary allocation, Mr. Reddy said only Rs 1550 crores was allocated for plan budget but the non-plan expenditure accounted for Rs 1600 crores.

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