Andhra Pradesh government released 145.95 cr to evacuees of Gandikota reservoir
Kadapa: The state government released Rs 145.95 crore for payment under Rehabilitation& Resettlement to the displaced families of Kondapuram village under Gandikota reservoir giving a relief to them. A GO RT NO 184 was issued by the Commissioner of Water Resources Department on 30-4-2020 in this regard with a view to store 27 tmcft of water in Gandikota reservoir.
The Commissioner of Water Resources department has directed the Collector of YSR Kadapa district to start evacuation of people in submergence villages under the project. This is the third time state government released the funds for displaced families. Earlier Rs 581 crore was released in two phases - Rs 152 crore on 4-1-2017 and Rs 429 crore on on 4-9-2018 during TDP rule.
Gandikota project is an internal part of Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) and was launched by the then chief minister Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy on 22nd September, 2013.
The project was designed with total storage capacity of 26.84 tmcft in Penna River Basin (PRB). It will act as balancing reservoir to supply Krishna water to Kadapa, Chittoor districts and some parts of Nellore district. It was also planned to provide water to about 2 lakh acres in Pulivendula constituency through Chitravati Balancing Reservoir (8.3tmcft), Basi Reddy reservoir (6 tmcft), Sarvarayasagar (3.3tmct), and Valmikikonda (13 tmcft).
But the project was later ignored by chief ministers K Rosaiah and N Kiran Kumar Reddy. Only 3 tmcft of water was stored in the reservoir which was not adequate to release the water.
Previous TDP government increased its capacity to 4.5 tmcft by vacating 22 villages in Kondapuram mandal and by paid Rs 581 crore. Chandrababu Naidu released water to Pulivendula constituency and now water is being supplied about 50,000 acres in kharif and rabi seasons.
Jammalamadugu RDO V Naganna said that in the past compensation was paid for 14 villages against total 22 villages notified under Gandikota reservoir.