Sitarama lift irrigation project: 2.5 lakh trees and plants to be destroyed

The Sitarama lift irrigation project has acquired state 1 clearance for nearly 3,800 acres of reserve forests which would, in turn, affect the wildlife of Bhadrari-Kothagudem district.

Close to 2.5 lakh trees and plants will be destroyed for the canal accommodation of the Sitarama project.

The district has dense teak forests along the banks of the river Godavari, from Pinapaka to Burgumpahad mandal apart from the bamboo, Nallamaddi, yegisa, rose wood and narepa forests.

With the forest department handing over the 3,800 acres of land, all the plants and trees will be cut down. Environmentalists believe that it will take over 1,000 years to re-grow a similar project.

Also, this action would also impact the ecological balance, biodiversity conservation, regulating the water flow, conservation of soil and moisture, greenhouse gas mitigation, sequestering carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere.

According to the benefits of the project, 6.74 lakh acres is expected to irrigated including the creation of irrigation potential of 3.28 lakh acres in Khammam and Bhadradri-Kothagudem districts.

As compensation, the state government will be paying Rs 350 crore to the central forest department.

Further, the same extent of land needs to be acquired and handed over to the forest department who will take up the responsibility to plant trees on that land.