Nalgonda: Agriculture minister Tummala Nageswara Rao on Monday directed officials to complete the lining works of the Yathalakunta tunnel under the Sri Sitarama Lift Irrigation Scheme by August 15 without fail. The minister inspected the tunnel works at Yathalakunta in Sathupalli mandal of Khammam district.
He said supplying Godavari waters for irrigation in Khammam district had been a long-standing demand. Despite the river basin extending from Eturunagaram to the Papikondalu range, the district had not been able to utilise the waters. He attributed this to factors including silt accumulation and competing water requirements in areas under irrigtion, adding that lift irrigation remained the only viable option for the district, though the Nagarjunasagar Left Canal had provided limited relief.
Rao said administrative sanction of ₹13,000 crore was accorded for the project in 2016 but alleged that there was no progress during the previous BRS government’s tenure. He said the present Congress government had accelerated works, completing 100 km of the main canal and three pump houses, while construction of the fourth pump house was in progress.
The Rajiv Link Canal would be completed within six months and the Wyra project would be filled with Godavari waters by next June, facilitating irrigation to 1.5 lakh acres, he said. Completion of the Yathalakunta tunnel would enable irrigation to an additional one lakh acres.
The minister instructed the contractor to expedite tunnel lining works and said Godavari waters should reach Bethupalli tank through the tunnel in the coming monsoon.
He said 11,000 acres were still required for distributory canals and directed officials to complete land acquisition at the earliest. Rao said Pinapaka constituency would benefit first, followed by Kothagudem and Aswaraopeta constituencies after completion of the project, and urged public representatives to persuade farmers to cooperate in the land acquisition process.
He said the scheme would provide irrigation to a total of seven lakh acres. The tender process for the Julurupadu tunnel had been completed and work would gain pace after the Yathalakunta tunnel lining was finished. On completion, Godavari waters would reach up to Palair.
District collector Diwakar T.S. and Aswaraopeta MLA Jare Adinarayana accompanied the minister.
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