Naidu lays stress on interlinking of rivers

Amaravati: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday said that nearly 5,000 TMC of water from the Godavari River flows into the sea every year, and the government’s goal is to divert at least 200 TMC of floodwater to Nallamala Sagar to eradicate drought in the state.

Addressing the ‘Neeru-Pragathi-Jalaharati: Partnership of Water Users Associations’ programme here, Naidu said interlinking of rivers and ensuring water to every acre was his government’s “Jalaharati” to Mother Earth.

He stressed that Andhra Pradesh requires around 1,300 TMC of water annually, including 900 TMC for agriculture, 40 TMC for industries, and 200 TMC for drinking water.

The Chief Minister said the state has 40 rivers and about 38,000 tanks, with the capacity to store over 1,300 TMC of water. This year, 862 TMC of water is available in reservoirs, he said. He added that water resource details would be digitised to make information on storage and usage publicly accessible.

Referring to Telangana’s Kaleshwaram project, Naidu said Andhra Pradesh had not objected to its construction even after bifurcation. “Our Telugu brothers are also there. If our own people utilise the water, everyone will be happy. Andhra Pradesh has no objection,” he said.

On the Polavaram project, Naidu said the diaphragm wall worth Rs 440 crore was damaged and submerged, forcing the government to spend Rs 1,000 crore again for reconstruction. He assured that Polavaram would be completed by the 2027 Godavari Pushkarams and dedicated to the nation. He announced plans to link the Vamsadhara river with the Polavaram left canal and Nallamala Sagar to supply water to North Andhra and Rayalaseema.

Naidu said investments worth Rs 20 lakh crore were coming to the state, creating 23 lakh jobs, and adequate water must be ensured for agriculture and industries. He noted that Rs 68 crore had been spent on project maintenance, with positive results now visible.

Calling upon irrigation association representatives to take responsibility for water management, he urged them to act like engineers and adopt innovative practices. He said an action plan was being implemented to eradicate drought and fill all reservoirs and interconnected tanks.

The Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Project was stopped by the National Green Tribunal due to lack of clearances. He reiterated that water would be supplied through Muchumarri and Pothireddypadu and that the Chintalapudi Lift Irrigation Project would be completed this year.

Ministers Nimmala Ramanaidu, K Atchannaidu, K Durgesh, BJP State president Madhav, and MLA Shravan Kumar attended.