Provide more irrigation facilities to Rayalaseema

Vijayawada: A number of people’s organisations from Rayalaseema, in a round table meeting here on Tuesday, expressed concern over the deteriorating conditions in the region and demanded steps for immediate rectification of the situation. 

Jala Sadhana Samiti leader M Srinivasulu, president of RytangaSamakhyaYerneniNagendranath, OPDR president C Bhaskara Rao, Kumara Swamy and Duddu Prabhakar (both leaders of BharatiyaKisan Sangham0, Y Kesava Rao and KollaRajamohan of AP RytuSangham, Yalamanda, Venugopala Rao of Andhra Pradesh RytuSanghalaSamakhya, Dr AppreddiHarinadha Reddy of Rayalaseema SanskrutikaVedika, Rayala Seema student Association leader Dr Mallela Bhaskar, Srinivasa Reddy from Chittoor district, Ratnam of Democratic Teachers Federation, Moksheswara Reddy and others participated in the meeting.

Participants at the round-table meeting held heated discussions for about three hours and passed resolutions on various issues which include more irrigation facilities to the Rayalaseema region, completion of pending projects, adequate water allocation, eradication of drought conditions, decentralisation of development works, package to the backward areas, employment and development of industries.

The meeting expressed concern over the poor irrigation facility in the region. Out of the 100 lakh acres agriculture land in the region, irrigation facility is available only for 20 lakh acres, but water is provided only to 8 lakh acres. The government should initiate steps to provide irrigation facility to the entire ayacut, the meeting demanded.

The State government should take initiative to bring amendment to the AP Reorganisation Act to release irrigation water legally from the projects of Handri-Neeva, Galeru-Nagari and Veligonda through Brijesh Tribunal. The pending projects should be completed on war-footing, it demanded.

The meeting also demanded a special irrigation commission to protect conventional water resources and water bodies like village tanks. The minimum water capacity of 854ft should be maintained in Srisailam reservoir. 

Krishna River Management Board should be established in Kurnool which is a key place for river water distribution, the leaders urge. Rayalaseema region should be made horticultural hub as promised by the Chief Mminister.