ANANTAPUR: Anantapur MP A. Venkatarami Reddy on Wednesday claimed that the Congress Government in the State had fulfilled one of its key pre-poll promises to the district by issuing a GO on the allocation of 10 tmcft water to Penna Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir (PABR) by specifying the modalities.

Mr Reddy also released a copy of the GO (no.3 dated January 4, 2006) issued by the Government on Wednesday on the allocation of water to PABR.

No alternative

All parties, except the TDP, had supported increasing the capacity of the Pothireddypadu head regulator, which would enable water allocation to PABR, he said.

There was no other way but to increase the capacity of Pothireddypadu to divert the KC Canal quota of 10 tmcft water in Tungabhadra reservoir to PABR and compensate the latter with some water from Pothireddypadu, he explained. He urged TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu to come out in support of the all-party resolution. Otherwise, the TDP would have no face to face the people of Anantapur, he warned. Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy had also agreed for the lining of Dharmavaram branch canal and completion of the Yadiki canal. The issue of widening and modernisation of HLC would also be taken up with Karnataka again, though it did not agree to the proposal earlier, he stated.

The GO issued by the Government on Wednesday was for improvements and alterations to the infrastructure from Srisailam foreshore to Owk reservoir - 10 tmc ft water to PABR - increasing the capacity of Pothireddypadu to 44,000 cusecs, including approach channel, and Srisailam Right Main Canal.

Decision accepted

As per the GO, the Government had accepted the decision taken by the all-party meet held at Hyderabad on December 21, 2004, for increasing the capacity of Pothireddypadu and allocation of 10 tmcft water to PABR. It has also accorded administrative approval for providing additional vents to Pothireddypadu for increasing the discharge to 44,000 cusecs.

It has also specified the operational rules of Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar reservoir in view of the increase in the capacity of Pothireddypadu. The GO has stated that as there is no direct facility to supply water to PABR from Pothireddypadu, it will be given from Tungabhadra reservoir through the High Level Canal from out of the allocation of KC Canal. The KC Canal will be given water from Pothireddypadu. In all, 112 tmcft of water will be drawn from Pothireddypadu head regulator every year in 30 flood days by increasing the capacity of the system to 44,000 cusecs, the GO stated.

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