No water worries for Andhra Pradesh capital if Krishna-Godavari linked at Polavaram
Vijayawada: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu’s proposal of a Krishna-Godavari linkage through Polavaram right canal at Prakasam barrage will be useful not only to the Krishna delta but also for the new capital city.
Irrigation officials are of the opinion that the completion of the right canal is the only immediate solution for intra-state water disputes between Andhra and Telangana.
According to officials, the project is already on the cards and it could be initiated without completion of the expensive Polavaram project.
Several states have raised objections over Polavaram project and according to estimates, nearly Rs 15,000 crore in funds and four years time is needed for completion of the project.
According to new plans, the Polavaram right canal will be completed within a year.
The canal would be connected to Krishna River at Prakasam barrage. Under this process, linkage of Krishna and Godavari Rivers will be possible without completing the Polavaram project.
Already the CM has announced the plan at Telugu Desam state party’s extended meet.
According to preliminary estimations nearly 8,000 cusecs of water could be had from Godavari River every day.
Moreover, the same quantity of water could be released for Krishna delta canals. Meanwhile, the water reserves could be preserved at Pulichintala project.
Krishna district irrigation department superintendent engineer K. Srinivasa Rao said that water is available all 365 days in a year in Godavari River.
He said that once the canal comes up for utilisation, Krishna delta would not face water scarcity.
The Krishna waters upstream of Nagarjunasagar project could also be diverted for Rayalaseema he said and added that as per need the lift number can be increased.
The completion of Polavaram right canal is mired in legal disputes from the farmers’ side, who opposed land acquisition.
Nearly 1,400 acres of land is needed for the completion of canals under the third package in Krishna district, said a Polavaram project official.
