Nalgonda: Public hearing on PRLIS evokes positive response

Konda Mallepally (Nalgonda): The public hearing on the environmental impact of Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) held at Konda Mallepally mandal in the district on Tuesday concluded peacefully. Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) officials have conducted the public hearing for the second phase of canal network of the project. Addressing the meeting, District Collector Prashant Jeevan Patil said that public, NGOs and people's representatives are free to express their views, suggestions and opinions either in oral or in writing.

PRLIS Executive Engineer Ravinder stated that the project was designed to provide irrigation and drinking facility to prevent migration from drought-prone districts of the newly formed Mahbubnagar, Nagar Kurnool, Narayanpet, Rangareddy, Vikarabad and Nalgonda districts.

About 90 TMCs of water from the backwaters of Srisailam reservoir will be lifted in 60 days and six reservoirs will be filled by lifting the water in five phases to provide irrigation facility to 12,30,000 acres in 70 mandals in six districts and will provide drinking water to 1,226 villages and industries.

The EE said the project will be completed in two phases. According to him, in phase-1, attention will be paid to drinking water consumption, industrial requirements, lifting and storage of water for irrigation. In this connection, primarily approach channels, open canals (50.490 km), tunnels (61.577 km) and pump houses (5) and construction of six reservoirs including Anjana Giri, Veeranjaneya, Venkatadri, Kurumurti Raya, Udandapur, KP Lakshmidevipally (total capacity of 67.97 TMC) will be carried out.

Construction of 13 main canals and distributaries at a stretch of 913 km will be carried out from the reservoirs of Venkatadri, Kurumurti Raya, Udandapur and KP Lakshmidevipally will be carried out to provide irrigation facility to 12,30,000 acres of lands in second phase of construction of project.

As many as 29,339 acres covering 16 villages of Marriguda and Chintapally mandals will get irrigation facility from the canals of Venkatadri and KP Lakshmidevipally reservoirs of the project, he explained. About 494 acres would be acquired for the construction of Ayacut canals for the project in the district, he informed. The Collector listed out the benefits of the project and urged the people, who attended the public hearing, to tell their opinion as the project needs environment clearance for the construction of canals.

Environmental consultant has explained the measures being taken for environmental safety and precautions during the works of the proposed project. About 23 locals of project area, public representatives and representatives of NGOs expressed their opinions. Almost all the participants have expressed positive opinion on the project construction and urged the government to pay compensation to the oustees as per the market value and asked to complete the works at the earliest. SP AV Ranganath, PRLIS CE Hamid Khan, Pollution Control Board EE Rajender, Devarakonda RDO Gopiram and others participated in the hearing.