YSRCP demands link canals to PABR Right Canal

Anantapur: A massive dharna was organised near the District Collector's office by the YSRCP demanding the government to construct link canals to the PABR (Pen Ahobilam Balancing Reservoir) Right canal to supply water to a host of villages under the ayacut of PABR Right canal.

Addressing large gathering of people, especially farmers, from Raptadu constituency, Raptadu YSRCP coordinator Topudurti Prakash Reddy demanded that link canals be constructed for supply of water to Talupuru, Vaddipalle, Mudigubba, Sanapa, Rangampeta, B Yaleru, Kamarupalle, Kurugunta, Sajjala Kalva, Kattakindapalle, Katneykalava, Kakkalapalle, Kandukuru, Mannela, Chiyyedu, Itukalapalle, Pulakunta, Bethamcherla, Yerragunta, Gandlaparti, Kothapalle, Bommevarti, Pullalarevu, Gondireddipalle, Maruru, Gollapalle, Hamsapuram, Raptadu, Muktapuram, Mamillapalle and other panchayaths. The farmers in the villages have 40,000 acres of crop lands which require water for irrigation.

While about 50,000 acres need to be irrigated, the government GO No 22 enabled water supply to a mere 10,000 acres, leaving the remaining 40,000 acres high and dry. Similarly, the Atmakur Lift Irrigation scheme costing only Rs 50 crores is not yet completed. The Lift Irrigation scheme will facilitate supply of water to 12,000 acres from Hundri-Neeva to Atmakur, Muttala, Goridindla, P Yaleru, Siddarampuram and Pampanur panchayaths.

Prakash Reddy said that the YSR government had sanctioned the lift irrigation scheme way back in 2007; but the scheme has been annulled by a GO by the present TDP government. The YSRCP leader opined that if the Hundri-Neeva water is released to Perur canal distributaries, about 5,000 acres of crop lands can be irrigated.

If the government spends Rs.300 crores about 1 lakh acres in Raptadu constituency can be irrigated. But Minister Paritala Sunitha representing the constituency is not caring to the demand, he added.