Claim Rs 2,033 Central share of Polavaram: CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to officials
VIJAYAWADA: As the Centre is yet to reimburse an amount of Rs 2,033 crore to Andhra Pradesh for the execution of Polavaram irrigation project, the Chief Minister directed the water resources officials to take appropriate steps to get the dues reimbursed at the earliest.
The Chief Minister chaired a high-level meeting with the minister for water resources P. Anil Kumar and top officials at his camp office here on Friday. When the officials informed him about the dues of Polavaram project from the Centre, he directed them to take measures to get it as soon as possible.
They told him that they were ready to release water through Polavaram project canals for cultivation of crops for the next kharif season in their command areas and expressed confidence to start execution of earth-cum-rock-fill dam works after completion of execution of lower cofferdam by November.
The Chief Minister directed the officials to take up repair works on all irrigation canals which got damaged due to Cyclone Gulab on a priority basis and complete them expeditiously. He asked them to speed up construction of the second tunnel of Veligonda project and to take requisite measures to complete construction of Neredi barrage by holding talks with the Odisha government.
The Chief Minister was informed that all phase-2 works of Vamsadhara project were to be completed by May 2022 for which he asked them to make the project operational in a stipulated period. They told the Chief Minister that they were initiating steps to ensure supply of water from Thotapalli barrage to its command area for cultivation of crops for the ensuing kharif season.
The Chief Minister instructed the officials to speed up construction of the regulator at Kolleru and pay attention to expansion of Thandava project and also execution of barrages on the Krishna river. Responding to him, the officials said that tenders were called for construction of Tandava project and they would go for reverse tendering for the works which were quoted for a high amount. With regard to the Owk Tunnel, they assured completion of works by next August.
