Desilting of 31,376 tanks underway

Amaravati: Irrigation minister Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao said that there were 40,817 village tanks in the state of which the silt removing work was being done in 31,376 tanks.

Answering to members during question hour in Assembly on Thursday, the minister said the state government had spent Rs 11,035 crore so far on the desiltation work and added the government had paid Rs 2.058 crore for agriculture workers under the works of tanks repairs. MLA Modugula Venugopala Reddy said the tanks in various villages were being encroached due to failure of government.

Stating that the tank sites were encroached for various purposes like construction of temples and community halls, he asked the government to protect tanks by removing encroachments.

MLA Gorantla Buchaiah Chowdary said the government should conduct a survey and develop the tanks with greenery. However, the minister assured the House that the government would protect the tanks by vacating the encroachers.