'Polavaram right canal works in full swing'.

Irrigation Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao has said Polavaram right canal works were in progress, adding that it will bring nearly 3,000 cusecs of water to Prakasam barrage in the initial stages, benefiting lakhs of farmers in Krishna and Godavari deltas.

“A sum of Rs. 700 crore has already been paid to farmers,” he said at a private function recently.

The Minister added that due priority was given to the Pattiseema project, the first phase of which was targeted to be completed by August 15. Polavaram and Pattiseema are major components of the river inter-linking project as far as Andhra Pradesh was concerned and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is sincerely following them up, he said.

Mr. Rao hoped that the southwest monsoon would bring plenty of rain, and that Prakasam barrage would receive copious inflows from Almatti and Tungabhadra dams. For the record, Pulichintala has 3.5 tmcft water stored in it, but only 1,600 cusecs to 2,000 cusecs can be drawn a day to balance irrigation and drinking water requirements.

Similar precarious situation prevailed at Pothireddypadu where the water level had to be maintained at 841 feet. 'We are trying our best to link Godavari and Krishna rivers and are confident of achieving the goal despiteimpediments,' he added.

THE HINDU