Off-shore reservoir works moving at snail's pace in Srikakulam

Srikakulam: Off-shore reservoir works have been going on at snail's pace for the last 12 years in the district. Former Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy laid foundation stone for the off-shore irrigation project at Regulapadu in Palasa mandal on April 4, 2008.

The project is aimed to store water in the reservoir by diverting from Mahendratanaya river. With this project, the government planned to irrigate 25,000 acres of lands in Palasa, Meliaputti, Tekkali, Nandigama and Vajrapukotturu mandals and provide drinking water to 27 villages and Palasa town.

Initially the project was estimated to cost Rs 127 crore but sufficient funds were not allocated to the project. As a result, land acquisition, rehabilitation and resettlement (R&R) package not cleared years together.

In 2014, after bifurcation of the state, the TDP government assumed charge and revised the project cost to Rs 466 crore and sets a deadline to complete the project by July 2018. But the government allotted only Rs 104 crore in four years period. So far, both the Congress and TDP governments allotted only Rs 225 crore funds for the project.

Payment of compensation for land losers was not yet cleared, R&R package yet to be settled, reservoir works not completed even to half an extent. Palasa former MLA and TDP leader GSS Sivaji staged agitations for the project in several forms during TDP regime but in vain. "During rainy season, we have to stop works and we will start works once rains subsides," Project Executive Engineer (EE), B Sekhara Rao told The Hans India.