Pusugudem pump house trial run this month: Minister Tummala

Steps were being taken to conduct a trial run of Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project pump houses in July month, said Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao.

Kothagudem: Steps were being taken to conduct a trial run of Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project pump houses in July month, said Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao.

He along with district Collector Jithesh V Patil, SP B Rohith Raj and ITDA PO B Rahul inspected Pusugudem pump house of Sitarama project in Mulakalapally mandal in the district on Tuesday.

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Speaking to the media, the minister said that the motors were ready for the trial run in the pump house. As the motors were made by a Chinese company and the engineers of that company have to come from China to operate the motors. The Central government was in talks with the China government to make arrangements for the engineers’ visit to India.

Nageswara Rao informed that all the irrigation and electrical works in the pump house have been completed. After the trial run was conducted Godavari waters would be supplied to Wyra reservoir through Enkoor link canal in the month of August.

As four years have passed since the pumps have been installed in Pusugudem pump house, experts have indicated that if the trial run was not completed this year, there was a danger to the pumps, he noted.

Around seven lakh acres in Khammam district and three lakh acres in Nagarjunasagar ayacut would be irrigated in the future using the project. The project was initiated with Rs 13,500 crore and so far Rs 7800 crore was spent.

Efforts would be made to supply Godavari waters to Yellandu constituency. As Wyra and Palair reservoirs used for the drinking water supply, Godavari waters could be used to supply drinking water even if water from Nagarjunasagar was released, the minister said.

Irrigation chief engineer A Srinivas Reddy, superintendent engineer S Srinivas Reddy and executive engineer K Suresh Kumar were present.