IAB meet gives priority to Gundrevula reservoir in Kurnool

Kurnool: District Irrigation Advisory Board (IAB) meeting ended here on Tuesday without passing any resolution though several issues are pending in the district which include drought conditions, kharif season, recent flood damages and drinking water shortage.

The ministers and MLAs who have attended the meeting for the first time have just expressed their dissatisfaction on the negligent attitude of earlier government. District Collector G Veera Pandiyan presided over the meeting. It was planned to discuss issues like KC Canal, LLC, Telugu Ganga, Guru Raghavendra, Owk, Velugodu, Gajuladinne project, the ayacut problems under Srisailam right canal and Tungabhadra reservoir.

However, the members gave priority to the construction of Gundrevula reservoir and Krishna water management board office to setup in Kurnool. During the meeting the members have taken a decision to release 1,000 cusecs water through KC canal from Sunkesula Barrage from January, 2020 onwards to cater the drinking water needs.

In the IAB meeting the members also demanded the government to release water from the Srisailam reservoir after maintaining the water level is above 854 feet. AP finance minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy, Labour department minister Gummanur Jayaram, Kurnool MP Dr S Sanjeev Kumar, Nandyal MP Pocha Bramananda Reddy, MLAs from Kurnool and Kadapa districts MA Hafeez Khan, Katasani Rambhupal Reddy, Silpa Chakrapani Reddy, Y Balanagi Reddy, Y Saiprasad Reddy, Arthur, Kangati Sri Devi participated in the meeting.

All of them have complained that power production is being given importance rather than meeting the drinking water and irrigation requirements. The board has also requested the government to construct irrigation reservoirs like Rajoli, Joladarashi, Vedavati and Nagaradona projects.