Pattiseema water a boon to Krishna delta: Nimmala

Vijayawada: Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu on Monday said that the Pattiseema lift irrigation waters diverted to Krishna river will be extremely useful for the drinking and cultivation purposes in kharif season in Krishna delta region. He said Krishna delta is desperately waiting for the drinking and irrigation water and Godavari waters will be supplied to meet the needs of the farmers through Pattiseema.

Ramanaidu along with Vijayawada MP Kesineni Chinni, former water resources minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao performed Jala Harati and special puja at the Pavitra Sangamam, the confluence of Krishna and Godavari waters at Ibrahimpatnam in NTR district.

Godavari waters are diverted to Krishna by Polavaram canal with the help of Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme. Ramanaidu had released the Pattiseema waters on July 3 and the waters reached Pavitra Sangamam in Ibrahimpatnam on Monday.

The minister performed special pujas and Jala Harati lighting the lamps. Later, briefing the media, Ramanaidu said Krishna reservoirs will get floodwaters in August and September and till then Pattiseema water will be supplied for the drinking and cultivation purposes in Krishna delta.

The minister praised Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu stating that he with a foresight constructed Pattiseema project at a cost of Rs 1,300 crore in 2015 to utilise Godavari waters by diverting them to Krishna delta. He said the Krishna delta farmers have earned Rs 50,000 crore with Pattiseema waters since 2015 by cultivating the crops.

He said if not for Pattiseema, Krishna delta farmers would have to wait to start farming operations till August as reservoirs in Krishna basin get floodwater from August onwards.

Former minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao said Pattiseema project was built to link Godavari to Krishna river. He said four lift irrigation projects, Pattiseema, Purushottapatnam, Pushkara and Tadipudi were constructed under the TDP rule in 2014 to 2019.

Irrigation engineer-in-chief C Narayana Reddy, superintendenting engineer T J H Prasada Babu and other officials participated in Jala Harati programme.