Tarakarama Teertha Sagar project remains a distant dream

Vizianagaram: Tarakarama Teertha Sagar (TTS), a dream project, aimed at supplying drinking water to Vizianagaram town and to provide water to irrigate 25,000 acres of land in Bhogapuram, Vizianagaram, Nellimarla, Denkada and Pusapatirega mandals, remains a dream.

The project was supposed to be completed by 2016, but so far, the major works are yet to be completed. Similarly, estimations are rising abnormally as the contractor is reluctant to complete the works unless the estimates are revised.  

According to earlier estimations, the TTS project was to be completed with Rs 22.04 crore and foundation stone was laid in 2005 in Nellimarla mandal. And it is aimed at supplying drinking water to Vizianagaram and the municipal administration laid the pipelines for supplying water. But water was not supplied as the project was not completed.

Anyhow, due to delay in the works, the estimation and expenditure has escalated to Rs 181.5 crore and the works were taken up by BSCPL construction company. The firm intensified the works and completed the barrage works at Kondagandredu village in Nellimarla but still the firm has not undertaken the formation of tunnel and left, right channels works.  

Actually, the excess water flows into the Champavathi River to be diverted into a reservoir at Kumili village and through this to the left and right channels and from the Kumili reservoir, the water is proposed to be supplied to Vizianagaram town for drinking. 

But the left and right channels are yet to be completed and water is not being drained into that reservoir. Moreover, the town is also not getting drinking water. Even the state government had paid some amount to the forest department as the tunnels has to be constructed in forest area.

Later, the project works were divided into two parts and another part is handed over to a firm with the estimation of Rs.172 crore. Anyhow, now the BSCPL has expressed its inability to complete this left, right channel works and it leads to splitting the works again and it needs to be handed over to another company. 

Now, the total expenditure may touch Rs 400 crore. Even the state government did not release the compensation to the displaced and did not provide rehabilitation to the oustees. Lands of the farmers in Koradapeta, Padalapeta and AT Agrahaaram were taken over for the project, but so far, the compensation was not settled.

Even the government has estimated that 650 houses have the threat with this project and evacuated them but the they are being not allotted the alternative places to construct their new houses. Anyhow, the long pending project still remains a dream. 

Speaking to The Hans India, M Narayana Rao of AT Agraharam said that the state government had taken over nearly 10 acres of his land and paid the compensation. “But we were not given any rehabilitation. We are waiting for the houses and other permanent solution,” he added.

M Chinna Rao, rahsildar of Nellimarla, informed that they identified lands at Nellimarla and Kumili to provide rehabilitation to the displaced.  “We sent proposals to the government and waiting for its approval. Immediately after getting permission, we will start providing rehabilitation. We are expecting that the process would be started soon”,he added. 

By Koppara Gandhi