Uttam lodges plaint against PNLP, urges Centre to restrain AP
High command calls on Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy to Discussion on ministerial portfolios
Hyderabad: Raisingstrong objection to the Polavaram-Nallamala Sagar Link Project (PNLP) which has been taken up by Andhra Pradesh government, Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy lodged a complaint with the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti demanding that the AP government should restrained from further action.
The Minister also demanded that the Centre stop the Karnataka government from enhancing the height of Almatti dam and give clearances to the pending projects mainly Palamuru Rangareddy lift project, Sammakka project etc.
In a letter to Jal Shakti Secretary VL Kantha Rao, the Minister said that AP has already issued “tender inviting notice for preparation of DPR of PNLP.
The Schedule ‘C’ of this notice states that “the pre-feasibility report of the project has already been submitted to the CWC which is under scrutiny. “It is humbly requested to restrain CWC and also other statutory authorities of the centre from proceeding with the appraisal process of PNLP in any form or part thereof immediately.
Uttam said that the increase in the height of the Almatti Dam posed a serious threat to the assured flows of Krishna River waters to the projects in Telangana and the Karnataka government should be stopped from proceeding with the said land acquisition.
Referring to the Palamuru project, the minister said that the government has already submitted DPR of the project to CWC for clearance of the project based on the reallocation of 90 TMC of assured waters i.e, 45 TMC out of 90.81 TMC of planned utilization for minor irrigation and allocation of 45 TMC out of 80 TMC of Godavari diversion.
It is requested that the clearances from the various directorates of the CWC may kindly be expedited on a fast-track basis in order to alleviate the hardships of the farmers in the parched regions of Telangana, Uttam said in the letter. The DPR of Sammakka Sagar project was also submitted and pending , he requested the Secretary that the CWC be directed to expedite the clearance process to ensure early realisation of project benefits.
The ministry of JalShakti should also advise the KWDT-II to complete its hearings expeditiously.
Uttam brought to the attention of the ministry about the proposals for approval under PMKSY-AIBP for the year 2026-2031 which included Dr BR Ambedkar Pranahita-Chevella Sujala Sravanthi Project, Narayanpet Kodangal Lift Irrigation Scheme, Integrated SitaRama Lift Irrigation project (SRLIP) and Situmma Sagar Multi-purpose Project (SSMPP), Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Mukteshwar (Chinna Kaleshwaram) Lift Irrigation Scheme and Modikuntavagu Projects.