Water Management Must Follow Water Movement Plan: CM

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has directed officials to manage the state’s water resources on the lines of the Water Movement Plan, under which priority is given to drinking water requirements in urban and rural areas amid deficient rainfall.

Reviewing the water resources department functioning at the secretariat on Friday, Naidu stressed optimum utilisation of reservoir and tank storage and groundwater. He reviewed the progress of the Polavaram and Veligonda projects, 36 priority projects, reservoir storage and releases, drinking water supply, and the Jaladhara-Jalaharathi programmes.

Officials informed Naidu that 89.9 per cent of the civil works of the Polavaram project had been completed. Works on the left canal, including ECRF Gap-1 and Gap-2, were progressing rapidly. Despite a flood discharge of 14 lakh cusecs in the Godavari, project works continued without disruption.

Naidu asked officials to complete roads and other infrastructure required for dam operations at the project site. He also wants them to protect the Gandi Pochamma temple near Polavaram while respecting local sentiments.

The balance works on the left canal up to Visakhapatnam should be completed by March next year, he said, directing officials to fill water resources, reservoirs and tanks up to Anakapalli in the meantime.

The CM called for works on the Polavaram right and left canals to be executed to handle a flow of 17,500 cusecs and suggested that suitable names be proposed for both canals. He also directed officials to develop the areas around Polavaram for productive use and tourism.

On concerns over water requirements for data centres, Naidu said they would require only 3.5 tmc ft of water but accused some people of spreading misinformation. He asked officials to take the facts to the public.

With rainfall deficient, drinking water must remain the first priority, followed by adequate supplies for industrial needs, he said.

Naidu asked officials to create awareness among farmers against taking up six water-intensive crops this season. He also called for continued Jaladhara-Jalaharathi works to raise groundwater levels.

He said Andhra Pradesh had the potential to draw adequate quantities of Godavari water for north Andhra and the Krishna delta. He proposed linking Visakhapatnam and Amaravati through inland waterways and asked officials to study ways to utilise lands under the water resources department.

Naidu directed officials to complete the Veligonda project and resolve rehabilitation issues with a humane approach. The 36 priority projects should meet their deadlines, with monthly targets fixed for each project. He also ordered a study on supplying irrigation water to the ayacut downstream of the Annamayya project.

Water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu, special chief secretary Shashi Bhushan, the engineer-in-chief and chief engineers attended the review.