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Modikunta project in limbo
The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh followed by the transfer of submerged mandals to the residuary State cast a cloud over the Modikunta irrigation project in Khammam district. The progress of the project has been hampered by a tricky situation that entangled between the two States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The then government of united Andhra Pradesh had sanctioned 170 acres of land towards compensation for the project. But this land is in Chinthur mandal, which had been transferred to Andhra after bifurcation. Unless the present Telangana government provides the land for compensation again, the forest department will not allow for the construction of the project
Bhadrachalam: The bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh followed by the transfer of submerged mandals to the residuary State cast a cloud over the Modikunta irrigation project in Khammam district. The progress of the project has been hampered by a tricky situation that entangled between the two States of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
The project, proposed to set up in the agency area of Khammam along with the Chhattisgarh border, should get necessary clearance from the Forest department. The Forest department is likely to lose as much as 1,259 acres for this project. The revenue department has to provide 499 acres as compensation to the forest department.
The then government of united Andhra Pradesh had sanctioned 170 acres of land towards compensation. But this land is in Chinthur mandal, which had been transferred to Andhra after bifurcation. Unless the present Telangana government again provides the land for compensation, the forest department will not allow for the construction of the project.
Speaking to The Hans India, the divisional forest officer of Bhadrachalam Sivala Rambabu said, “The project is in Telangana, and the land sanctioned for compensation is in Andhra Pradesh. The decision was made before the bifurcation of the State. However Andhra government is not showing any interest in this issue.”
Awaiting clearance from the Forest department the construction of the Modikunta project, which is to be set up in the forest area of Krishnapur in Vajedu mandal, was yet to start even the procurement of land and other necessary formalities are already completed.
This project was launched in 2005 with a capacity of 2.14 tmc. If everything went well, this project would have been completed by 2007. MLA Sunnam Rajaiah said, “The delay is only due to official negligence. The machinery installed for the construction has been rusted. At least the construction should commence from now.”
This project is expected to irrigate about 14, 000 acres in kharif and seven thousand acres more during Rabi. “If this project is completed, the irrigation water will be available from Krishnapuram to Vajedu, an eight kilometer stretch. As many as 3,000 farmers from Chandrupatla, Dharmavaram, Vejedu, and other villages will get benefitted,” observed Yelam Atchiah, sarpanch of Krishnapuram village.
Farmers Nare Ramesh, Dasari Satyam, Linga Ganapathi, and others said the Telangana government should take initiatives to complete the project as soon as possible. Divisional Engineer Gopala Krishna and Assistant Engineer Raj Mahesh said that the contract for the construction was bagged by Gammons India of Mumbai.
“If required permissions from the forest department are sanctioned, we immediately start the construction process,” they assured. Total estimated cost of this nine-gate project is Rs 118 cr. But due to the unprecedented delay, the production cost was going up day by day.
The revised estimates reached to Rs 280 cr. Approximately Rs 70 cr has been spent for getting clearance from the Forest department. At least the Telangana government should swing into action and get the hopes of these farmers realised.
By:PV Satyanarayana
