VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will discuss several interstate issues including construction of Neradi bridge across the Vamsadhara river, completion of the Janjavathi project and the Kotia cluster of villages during his meeting with his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik scheduled to be held at latter’s residence at 5.00 pm on Tuesday.
The Chief Minister held a preparatory meeting to discuss these issues with senior officials at his camp office here on Monday.
He will explain the benefits of construction of Neradi bridge across the Vamsadhara river to the Odisha Chief Minister and will also apprise him of the requirement of 103 acres of land in the Odisha side for the construction of the barrage and out of which, 67 acres fall under river bed area. The officials informed the Chief Minister that construction of barrage would help supply water to nearly 5,000 to 6,000 acres of land in Odisha.
With regard to the Janjavathi project, the officials apprised Jagan Mohan Reddy that out of 24,640 acres land, water supply was being provided only to 5,000 acres land through the rubber dam. They said once the project was completed, it would cause submergence of four villages totally and six villages partially in Odisha and added that out of 1,175 acres land to be submerged in Odisha, 875 acres were under the control of the state government. The Chief Minister will also ask Patnaik to cooperate in implementation of relief and rehabilitation packages to the affected people.
The officials also briefed the Chief Minister about the dispute pertaining to Kotia villages located on the AP-Odisha border. Vizianagaram collector A. Surya Kumari informed Jagan that out of 21 villages, 16 villages resolved to stay with Andhra Pradesh and said they had even conducted elections in such villages. The officials informed him that 87 per cent of the population living in these villages were tribals, adding that they would get a series of government services without any trouble.
On the other hand, Jagan Reddy’s Odisha tour schedule has been released. Accordingly, he will arrive at Gannavaram airport at 11.00 am and reach Pathapatnam in Srikakulam at 01.15 pm and attend Pathapatnam MLA Reddy Shanti’s daughter’s reception and bless the couple. Later, he will proceed to Visakhapatnam airport at 3.30 pm and fly to Bhubaneswar. After meeting the Odisha Chief Minister at 5.00 pm, he will start at 7.00 pm and will arrive at 9.00 pm to his residence at Tadepalli.
