Amaravati, June 19: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on the progress of various irrigation projects with senior officials here on Monday and directed them to pay attention on the left main canal of Polavaram, Veligonda, Vamsadhara and Owk projects.
Taking stock of the progress of Polavaram project, the Chief Minister instructed the irrigation department officials to pay attention on the left main canal as the construction of main dam is expedited.
Officials told him that sand filling and vibro-compaction work at gap 1 of ECRF dam has been completed and similar work at gap 2 is in progress. They informed that the experts’ committee of the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti has inspected the cracks in the guide bund and said the cracks could have been the result of the changes in the nature of the soil.
On the suggestion of the committee, cracks are being filled up and the committee has agreed to make final recommendations after detailed analysis.
The Chief Minister was informed that the Union Finance Ministry has agreed to release Rs. 12,911.15 crore for completing phase -1 of the Polavaram Project and various ministries are preparing a Cabinet notefor approval.
While 12, 658 displaced families have been shifted to the R and R colonies, efforts are on to shift the remaining 8,288 families, they said.
Reviewing the progress of Veligonda, Vamsadhara and Avuku projects, the Chief Minister suggested that officials should formulate an action plan to expedite the construction of priority projects by reviewing them once in a fortnight.
The second tunnel of Owk project has been completed and the lining work is in final stages and arrangements are being made for launch in August for diverting 20,000 cusecs of Krishna flood waters to Rayalaseema.
92.14 percent works of the second tunnel head regulator of the Pula Subbaiah Veligonda Project would be completed and by August, they said, adding that the tunnel works are over up to 17,461 mts out of a total length of 18, 787 mts.
The works relating to Gottipadu dam, Kakarla dam, Tigaleru approach channel, Tigaleru head regulator and eastern main canal head regulator which are part of the Veligonda project are also in final stage, they said.
He asked them to complete the remaining works at the earliest so that water can be released.
The Chief Minister also reviewed the progress of Thotapalli Barrage, Mahendra Tanaya reservoir and Tarakarama Theertha Sagar works and instructed the officials to expedite the lift irrigation scheme that brings water to the Hiramandalam reservoir from the Gotta barrage.
Officials told him that the distributor network of the stage 2 under phase 2 of the Vamsadhara would be completed before December and the Kuppam branch canal works have reached final stage.
They said that they are releasing water to the farmers as per the irrigation calendar given by the Chief Minister and water has already been released to the ayacuts of Godavari, Krishna delta and Thotapalli.
The Chief Minister lauded the officials and the Irrigation minister on the State receiving 4 national water awards for 2022.
Irrigation Minister A. Rambabu, Chief Secretary Dr KS Jawahar Reddy, Principal Secretary (Irrigation) Sasi Bhushan Kumar, Principal Secretary (Finance) SS Rawat, Engineer-in-Chief C. Narayana Reddy, Project Administrator Praveen Aditya and other Chief Engineers were present.
