Launching the three-day "Jalasiriki Harati" programme by inaugurating an anicut across the Sarada river recently, Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu released a GO according administrative sanction to the ₹2,022-crore Pedapudi reservoir under Phase I of Babu Jagjivanram Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanti (USS).

Addressing a public meeting at Gobburu, he vowed to complete the project by the next elections and bring water linking the Godavari and the Sarada rivers. The first phase covers 1.3 lakh acres in eight mandals.

Earlier, he inaugurated the anicut constructed with a cost of ₹16 crore that would bring 3,240 acres under irrigation on the Sarada river at Narasapuram and offered “harati” with flowers, vermillion, turmeric, silk sari, bangles and fruits amid vedic chants.

The “Jalasiriki Harati” programme was meant to create awareness on water conservation, increasing awareness on environmental protection among people and worshipping nature, he said and administered a pledge to the people. The idea of making people venerate water came after his offering “harati” to the Godavari and the Krishna during pushkarams, he said.

Asserting that top priority was being given to irrigation projects, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said providing water security and ensuring water for drinking, irrigation and industrial needs by linking rivers were the avowed objectives of his government.

The State government was committed to complete 28 projects in the next three months spending ₹13,000 crore more. Apart from the ₹40,000 crore already spent this year, another ₹10,000 crore would be spent in addition to an equal amount under the NREGS.

Of the two crore acres still to be brought under irrigation, one crore acres were covered by completion of projects and completion of ongoing projects would add another 20 lakh acres. Drip and sprinkler irrigation would be promoted to cover the crops in one crore acres and make agriculture viable. Bringing one crore acres under horticulture was also one of the objectives, he said.

The Chief Minister sanctioned anicuts on the Sarada at Tummapala at a cost of ₹27 crore and bring 12,541 acres under irrigation and at Gudari (₹43.39 crore and 9,327 acres).

The increase in majority in the Nandyal by election and the Kakinada municipal elections from 1.62% in 2004 to 16% now was proof of the confidence people reposed in the government, Mr. Chandrababu Naidu said. He appealed to people to support the leaders and officials doing good work and he would try to remove bottlenecks to increase the satisfaction levels of people to 80%.

He drew a huge response when he asked people to contact “1100” for solving their problems and said he would reply after finding a solution.

Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Ministers Ch Ayyanna Patrudu, N. Chinarajappa and Ganta Srinivasa Rao, MPs K. Haribabu and Muttamsetti Srinivasa Rao, Anakapalle MLA Peela Govinda Satyanarayana, MLAs and MLCs participated.

THE HINDU

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