Sita Rama Lift Irrigation to provide water for second crop

Hyderabad: Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao said on Sunday the redesign and reconstruction of Dummugudem project (Sita Rama Lift Irrigation Project) would help in providing water for second crop as the project is being constructed at the highest point in Khammam district. Replying during Question Hour, the project with its 5 lakh acres of ayacut would now cover 27 mandals in Khammam district as against 23 mandals earlier.

He also informed the members that 50 tmcft of water would be drawn from the river Godavari against the proposed 34 tmcft of water. The overall storage capacity of the project had been increased from 1.6 tmcft to 12.37 tmcft. The capacity of four reservoirs Rollapadu Tank had been increased from 0.175 tmcft to 10.614, Bayyaram reservoir from 0.397 to 1.5 tmcft, Jagannadhapuram tank from 0.020 to 0.240 tmcft and Palavagu Cheruvu from 0.015 to 0.03 tmcft.

He also pointed out that this project which was being constructed at a cost of Rs 1,600 crore would be using only five lifts as against the 10 lifts, which were being operated with the help of motors running for 153 days. “With this project we will able to grow the second crop just like our neighbouring State of Andhra Pradesh. “The AP had been creating obstacles for various projects, but we are continuously fighting for the rightful share of our water,” he said.