Rayalaseema farmers stage ‘satyagraha’

• Demand construction of sluice at Siddeswaram
  
• Seek release of 250 tmcft assured water to Potireddipadu project

Kurnool: Demanding release of 250 tmcft assured water to Potireddipadu Head Regulator Project, the farmers of Rayalaseema under the aegis of Rayalaseema Joint Action Committee staged ‘Satyagraha’ near the Project site on Monday.

Farmers from Kurnool, Kadapa, Chittoor and Anantapuram, expressing concern over the no allocation of either assured water or surplus water to the project, demanded the Krishna River Management Board to allocate assured water to the Potireddipadu head regulator project.

The Potireddipadu head regulator project which is supposed to feed all the irrigation projects in Rayalaseema, is not listed to be allocated water as GOMS No 83 was not implemented in the newly formed Andhra Pradesh.

The farmers squatted silently near the project holding placards demanding water allocation to the project. The farmers said that the Rayalaseema was worst hit in the united Andhra Pradesh which issued the GO but not implemented it.

“It is the conspiracy of the newly formed government in Andhra Pradesh to release water to Krishna districts without releasing the minimum water level of 854 ft to the head regulator project.” Bojja Dasaradha Rami Reddy, president of Rayalaseema Joint Action Committee, said that if a sluice at a height of 860 ft is built at Siddeswaram on Krishna River, the minimum irrigation needs of Rayalaseema could be fulfilled. Coming down heavily on Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for collecting donations for the construction of the capital city and not caring for the farmers of Rayalaseema, he said that the Rayalaseema farmers would voluntarily donate necessary funds for the construction of sluice at Siddeswaram. However, the Satyagaraha would be peaceful till the problem is solved, he added.