Uncertainty prevails over two irrigation projects in Anantapur dist

Anantapur: Uncertainty prevails over the Rs 969 crores Bhairavanitippa Project which was designed to irrigate 22,300 acres in Rayadurgam and Kalyandurgam constituencies and the Peruru Reservoir Project costing Rs.900 crores which was aimed to irrigate 50,000 acres in Ramagiri mandal in Raptadu constituency. These projects were initiated by the Telugu Desam government.

It was expected to complete the Peruru dam by the end of 2019 and the Bhairavanitippa project by the end of 2020. The people of Kalyandurgam, Rayadurgam and Raptadu constituencies pinned lot of hopes on the projects. The farmers of the three constituencies are urging the government to allocate funds for the projects.

The TDP government had earlier decided to revive the 40-year old project which had become defunct due to several reasons. The original source of the project was Vedavati river in Karnataka.

The new Bhairavanitippa project is designed to divert Krishna water which come to Jeedipalle reservoir further to Garudapuram village in Gummagatta mandal and from there to Bhairavanitippa in Rayadurgam mandal.

The Peruru project initiated by the TDP government and named after the late Paritala Ravindra is located in Ramagiri mandal. For four decades, the dam did not get flood waters. The TDP government had decided to revive the defunct project by diverting Krishna waters to Peruru dam from Jeedipalle Reservoir.

The project costing Rs.900 crores is to be executed by constructing a canal from Jeedipalle to Peruru. The project dubbed as Upper Pennar Project is expected to irrigate 50,000 acres in Raptadu constituency.