Lopsided policies, funds paucity hit irrigation projects in Seema

Anantapur-Sathya Sai districts: Uncertainty prevails over several irrigation projects in the twin districts even 3 years after YSRCP took over reins of government in the state. There is also a discontentment among the people and people's representatives that no long lasting work is being done by the government. Irrigation projects empower farmers, enriches crop lands and raise the standard of living of the farmers and the people in general. Distribution of welfare doles reaps temporary benefits but incurs long term losses.

Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS), the Rayalaseema's lifeline project has not seen the light of the day. HLC modernisation project which was supposed to boost and strengthen the inter-state project's canal infrastructure, was being dragged since 2004 and the project is losing its sheen. The Rs 969 crore Bhairavanitippa Project was designed to irrigate 22,300 acres in Rayadurgam and Kalyandurgam constituencies and the Peruru Reservoir Project costing Rs 900 crores was aimed to irrigate 50,000 acres in Ramagiri mandal in Raptadu constituency.

These projects were initiated by the TDP government. It was expected to complete the Peruru dam by 2019-end and the Bhairavanitippa project by the end of 2020. The people of Kalyandurgam, Rayadurgam and Raptadu constituencies pinned a lot of hopes on these projects. The farmers of the three constituencies are urging the government to allocate funds for the projects.

The TDP government had earlier decided to revive the 40-year old project which had become defunct due to several reasons. The original source of the project was Vedavati river in Karnataka. The new Bhairavanitippa project is designed to divert Krishna water which come to Jeedipalle reservoir further to Garudapuram village in Gummagatta mandal and from there to Bhairavanitippa in Rayadurgam mandal. The Peruru project initiated by the TDP government and named after the late Paritala Ravindra in Ramagiri mandal.

For four decades, the dam did not get flood waters. The TDP government had decided to revive the defunct project by diverting Krishna waters to Peruru dam from Jeedipalle Reservoir. The project costing Rs 900 crores is to be executed by constructing a canal from Jeedipalle to Peruru. The project dubbed as Upper Pennar Project is expected to irrigate 50,000 acres in Raptadu constituency, but these projects are not making any head way because of non-allocation of funds. Every development project has become a casualty to the financial poverty of the state.