Pulichintala receives heavy inflows for first time

• Dream of Krishna Delta farmers comes true
• Late CM YSR made the multipurpose project a reality
• It was named after eminent engineer and former Union Minister K L Rao

Guntur: Pulichintala multipurpose project for the first time received on Tuesday heavy inflows from Nagarjunasagar dam. The Irrigation officials let out 10 lakh cusecs from by lifting 10 crest gates after the reservoir received heavy inflows from the Srisailam dam. A large number of people from various places have arrived to watch the multipurpose project receiving inflows.

Earlier, the officials lifted three crest gates of Srisailam dam and released 158,258 cusecs downstream into Nagarjunasagar project. The inflow into the Srisailam dam was 92,266 cusecs. The water level reached FRL of 885 feet. The hydel power plants on both left and right canal banks are generating power at their peak.

Pulichintala multipurpose project was constructed to stabilise 13 lakh acres of anicut in the Krishna Delta, comprising Krishna, West Godavari, Guntur and part of Prakasam districts. The Y S Rajasekhara Reddy government took up the project as part of ‘Jalayagnam’. The delta farmers had waged struggle for the project since 1957. The project was taken up immediately after YSR assumed power in 2004.

Meanwhile, flood water entered some villages like Pulichinta and Kollur in Bellamkonda mandal as there were sudden heavy inflows into the project. Residents climbed hills, fearing submergence of their villages. They refused to come down until the government paid compensation.