GUNTUR: Minister for water resources D. Umamaheswara Rao said the government was planning to draw 80 tmcft of water from Krishna river to fulfill the irrigation and drinking water demand. He inaugurated the groundwater and water resources department regional deputy director’s office in a new building, constructed at a cost of Rs 1.10 crore in Guntur on Wednesday.
Mr Umamaheswara Rao said the government was planning to construct dams to store 9 tmc ft of water at Bollapalli and Kondaleru and other places in the state to overcome shortage of water for drinking and irrigation purposes. He said the office was the first building constructed for the irrigation department in the state after bifurcation. The government is planning to construct own buildings in all district headquarters in the state for the benefit of the farmers. He said that the government saved crops worth Rs 8,000 crore by providing water to Krishna delta in the last two years and said the government was working for the development of agriculture with the cooperation of ISRO scientists.
Guntur district collector K. Sasidhar said 554 check dams would be constructed in 18 mandals of Palnadu region in Guntur district to improve groundwater level. He said that Palanadu would be transformed into a horticulture hub in the future, by promoting cultivation of horticulture crops. Minster for civil supplies P. Pulla Rao said Pattiseema project is providing water to three districts and asked the officials to adopt latest technology to know about the groundwater level, rains and climate conditions to cultivate various crops. Guntur Zilla Parishad chairperson Sk Johny Moon, Guntur West MLA M Venugopala Reddy, MLC A.S. Ramakrishna and others participated in the programme.
