Demand to improve Handri-Neeva canal capacity, allocate funds for HLC lining works.
A delegation of the Communist Party of India (CPI), led by party State secretary K Ramakrishna, on Wednesday urged the State government to release water from the Srisailam Project to the Handri-Neeva Project. They also demanded completion of the lining works of the Tungabhadra High-Level Canal (HLC) and allocation of funds in the State budget for the purpose.
The CPI delegation submitted a formal representation to Minister for Water Resources, Dr Nimmala Ramanaidu, at the camp office in Vijayawada. K Ramakrishna, party secretariat member Gujjula Eswaraiah and others held a discussion with Minister Ramanaiadu on the two key issues. The Minister assured the CPI leaders that the issues will be resolved after bringing them to the notice of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
Later, Ramakrishna said that though the Srisailam Project is at its Full Reservoir Capacity (FRC), the Water Resources Department (WRD) failed to supply irrigation water to Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa and Chittoor districts through the Handri-Neeva canal. Both the ruling TDP and the Opposition YSRCP had assured the local residents during the election campaign that adequate water will be supplied from Srisailam and that the capacity of the Handri-Neeva canal will be improved. But nothing happened, he said.
Ramakrishna requested the Minister to allocate sufficient funds in the budget to improve the water flowing capacity in the Handri-Neeva canal and release water.
He said that currently, there is adequate water in the Tungabhadra Dam. Water can be released to the drought-prone Anantapur and Kurnool districts.
Usually, around 32 TMCs of water is released from Tungabhadra. However, only 13 TMCs have been released so far. The Tungabhadra Dam officials are ready to release water to the HLC. However, as the canal lining works are not complete, there is no chance to release water, he added.
