Date:22/07/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/07/22/stories/2007072254350400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

Chief Minister releases water from Jurala

M. Malleswara Rao

Offers flower petals and a sari to ‘Krishnamma’ for blessing the State with abundant water

To perform rituals at Sagar, Srisailam, Prakasam Barrage
‘Development only possible under Congress rule’

— PHOTO: K. RAMESH BABU

Thanksgiving: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy floating flower petals and a sari in Krishna river at Jurala project in Mahabubnagar district on Saturday.

JURALA PROJECT (Mahabubnagar dt): Buoyed by the huge inflows into irrigation projects across the Krishna well ahead of the season this year, Chief Minister opened the gates of the Jurala project here on Saturday.

Flying in here by a helicopter amid tight security, he walked up to the statue of “Krishnamma” amid chanting of Vedas by pandits and offered puja. Flanked by Ministers Ponnala Lakshmaiah (Major Irrigation), S. Chandrasekhar (Family Welfare) and G. Chinna Reddy (Rural Development) and several MPs and MLAs, he went down to the river bank and offered flower petals and a sari to the river.

The Chief Minister said he would perform rituals at Nagarjunasagar, Srisailam and Prakasam Barrage to thank “Krishnamma” for blessing the State with abundant water.

Dr. Reddy reached Jurala after making sorties over four irrigation projects under construction in Mahabubnagar -- Bhima, Kalwakurthy, Nettempadu and Koilsagar.

Lush green fields

He said he could see the swift progress of work and announced that water would be released next year itself.

The projects would be completed in two years. He hoped that Mahabubnagar would be transformed into a district of lush green fields, finally putting an end to migration of agricultural labourers. These projects would utilise about 80 tmcft of the Krishna water to serve nearly eight lakh acres.

Addressing the public later, Dr. Reddy said his Government had spent Rs. 2,407 crore on these projects against the budgetary outlay of Rs. 6,113 crore.

He said only two lakh acres were covered by irrigation since Independence in Mahabubnagar district whereas his Government proposed to bring in an additional eight lakh acres under the plough within a couple of years.

“Development in the State is so extensive that it cannot escape anyone’s notice.

All this is possible only under a Congress Government.”