Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said Godavari water will soon reach four mandals under the NSP ayacut in Khammam. While the Sitarama project water helps Khammam farmers, those in Kothagudem protest the diversion, demanding irrigation for their own farmlands
BRS leaders were detained in Paloncha during a protest against the alleged diversion of Godavari water from the Sitarama project to Khammam. They accused the Congress government of neglecting Kothagudem’s farmers. Tension briefly flared before leaders were released
The farmers entered into heated arguments with the official complaining that even after six months over since the lands were acquired for the canal compensation was not paid
The dispute, which saw both senior officials engaging in a fierce argument, prompted the issuance of show-cause notices to the ENC General and the Project Chief Engineer
The affected farmers said the hurried inauguration of the project pump houses had turned futile as water was not released into the canal after the inauguration
CPM district secretary Nunna Nageswara Rao in his letter to the Chief Minister said even if he starts an incomplete Sitarama project, sufficient funds have to be allotted to complete it.
He said while around 90 per cent of the project was completed by the K Chandrashekhar Rao government, the Congress Ministers got an opportunity to inaugurate it.
Ahead of the project inauguration on August 15 by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, he said the Congress is misleading the public by claiming to have completed the project within just seven months.
Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said that the main canal works of the project would be completed by July 30 and work was going on war footing to supply irrigation water through Enkur canal (18L).