Nellore: The state government has finally allotted work pertaining to comprehensive storm water drainage scheme to a contract firm to prevent flooding of areas located close to six irrigation canals passing through Nellore. The silt deposits and encroachments on the canals have led to flooding of several areas in the city for over three days during heavy rains in November 2015. The canals with a width of 20x30 feet are used to drain water from city roads, but have been reduced to 2 — 5 feet from their original size because of illegal house constructions and silt deposits.
Urban development minister P. Narayana and officials concerned were taken aback when they found buildings constructed right on top of the canal while examining the reasons for floods in 2015. Though they identified the original extent of the canals with the assistance of surveyors summoned from different parts of the state immediately after the floods, the canals could not be widened till alternative arrangements were made to shift 4,800 families living on the banks of the canals.
Some of them have been shifted to YSR Nagar in the city and others are being moved to Janardhan Reddy colony where a housing colony is ready for occupation. In this backdrop, the government has picked up a contracting firm to execute the work at an estimated cost of Rs 70 crore under the Amrut Scheme. Hyderabad-based Sudhakara Infratech Pvt Ltd has bagged the contract for Rs 70,17,83,211 which is 4.59 per cent higher than the estimated cost. Nellore corporation officials said that permanent concrete lining will be carried out in the six canals passing through the city on the 13.85 km stretch. They said that the Public Health department would supervise the work.
