Work of 1,227 crore Chenaka Korata Barrage being expedited

It will provide irrigation facilities in three mandals by June this year

​Adilabad: The State government has decided expedite the work of the Chenaka Korata Barrage costing Rs. 1,227 crore for providing irrigation facilities for the Kharif crop in Thansi, Jainath and Bela mandals by June this year.

Officials are regularly holding review meetings on the work of the barrage on the Penganga river in Jainath mandal, which envisages lift irrigation facility for providing water to Kharif crops.

At the same time, the State government has speeded up the work of the Rajampet and Pimpradu lift schemes. Already, 30 per cent of the barrage work has been completed.

The construction of the anicut has gained pace, with 50 per cent of digging having been finished. The anicut construction has slowed down with several rocks surfacing. However, it is being given a push with officials launching special measures.

Once the digging is completed, the construction of stone anicut will be taken up, SE Amjad Hussain told The Hans India here on Wednesday. He said both the barrage and the lift schemes, for which a pump house is being built, would result in provision of 37,500 acres.

Already 60 per cent of the pump house work is over. The stage for taking up its cement is set. Although the barrage work is going on at a slow place, construction of the canals has gained speed with 70 per cent of the digging for the canals having been finished.

Five per cent of the canal lining has been done, as both digging for the canals and their lining is going on simultaneously.

The land acquisition for both the construction of the barrage and the canals has reached the final phase, as 664 of the 874 acres have already been taken over by the Revenue officials. If 30 more acres of land is acquired for the barrage, the task will be completed.

As many as 142 acres of land is required for the main canals, mainly in Jandapur and Chanda, where farmers are ready to offer.

They want the market rate of Rs.14 lakh per acre to be paid. Discussions on the price have reached the final stage. Officials told THI that the land acquisition would be completed in a week’s time.

With land acquisition for the canals already over, officials are focusing their attention on the 420-km-long sub-canals, which pave the way for direct supply of water to fields. About 1,000 acres is required for the sub-canals, according to official estimate.

Once the survey of the sub-canals is completed the process of land acquisition is to begin, along with digging for the sub-canals.

Farmers are happy with the expedited work of the Chenaka Korata barrage, as they feel that it will end their water woes. Water shortage being experienced for years will be a thing of the past, farmers’ leader Karunakar Reddy informed THI.

In the event of heavy rain the Penganga river will overflow. Keeping this in view officials feel that the work of the anicut and the barrage should be completed by May.

Finding of rocks in the river has become a hindrance. The cost of clearing the rocks has been increased to Rs.60 crore, making the contractor to speed up the work, pointed out the officials.