Sitarama pump house trial run commences

Kothagudem: Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Agriculture, Cooperatives and Handlooms Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Revenue, Housing, Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy were present when the trial run of the second pump house constructed at Pusagudem, Mulakalapally mandal as part of the Sitarama lift scheme, was conducted on Sunday.

Uttam Kumar pressed the button and commenced the trial run. He noted that it was a historic day for the people of the erstwhile Khammam district and the trial run was the first step to lift Godavari waters to irrigate lakhs of acres. He said that the Congress government was working with a strong determination to provide drinking water and irrigation to more fields at a lower cost. “The target of our government is to create around 6 lakh acres new ayacut every year. Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Deputy CM Mallu Batti Vikramarka and Cabinet Ministers resolved that the main objective of our government shall be to provide water to 35 lakh acres new ayacut in the next five years.”

The minister disclosed that on August 15, pump houses will be made operational Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, and on the same day, the process of issuing cheques as part of the farmer loan waiver will be completed at a public meeting held at Wyra.

The minister said that when the Congress took over the government, it noticed that water allocation was not done for the Sitarama project. “Despite many obstacles, our government consulted with the central government and took steps to allocate 67 tmcft of water from Godavari waters to the Sitarama project,” he informed.

Minister of Agriculture, Cooperation and Handloom Tummala Nageswara Rao said that the foundation stone of this project was laid in 2017 with the intention of using Godavari waters for joint Khammam district. He informed that works went on smoothly for the first five years, but later they slowed to a snail’s pace. He said that as part of the Sitarama lift scheme, the Godavari water would be channelled up to 104 km through three pump houses at Kothuru, RK Rangapuram and Pusukudam. As part of this project, work is going on Tummala Pond through Marella Padu scheme for about 9.8 km. If land acquisition and canal works are completed for it, around 15,795 acres will be cultivated in Ashwapuram mandal.

Rao said that there is a possibility of irrigating 38,000 acres at the 74th km, and if the land acquisition is completed for this too, the fields would get water during the next season of this year.

The Minister said that when the project is completed, it will be used to use the Godavari water when there is water problem in Sagar ayacut. Water will be supplied to over 1.2 lakh acres at a low cost.

Minister for Revenue Housing and Information Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy said the trial run marked fulfilment of the long wish of the people of Khammam district. Late CM Dr Y S Rajasekhara Reddy initiated the project as part of Jalayagnam. It was started by the previous government at a cost of Rs 18,000 crore.

The minister said that Pinapaka, Ashwaraopeta, Satthupalli, Madhira, wyrs Paleru and one mandal in Khammam constituency will benefit from this project. He said that only Bhadrachalam and Yellandu constituencies in the common Khammam district need to be irrigated. He urged Uttam Kumar Reddy to complete the distributory and land collection works of Sitarama project as soon as possible and provide irrigation water by next season.

District Collector Jitesh V Patil , SP Rohith Raju and irrigation engineers participated in the programme.