Rajahmundry: Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated the first phase of Purushottapatnam lift irrigation project at the Purushottapatnam village of Seethanagaram mandal in East Godavari on Tuesday. After ‘Jalasiri Harathi’ puja and offering flowers to the Godavari river amidst the chanting of mantras by the purohits, the CM pressed the start button of the mains and Godavari water was lifted and pumped through the two pumps into Polavaram Left Main Canal. With this, the Godavari river with Yeleru was inter-linked.

Speaking on the occasion and addressing a public meeting at Jaggampeta, the CM said that the Purushottapatnam scheme had been pending for nearly 40 years. He added that when he had announced the project, nearly 90 percent of the farmers had offered their lands for execution of the project while the rest objected and even approached the courts to thwart the execution of the project.

The CM said that he had commissioned the first phase of the project on January 5, and in just eight months, the first phase was completed and could be inaugurated. He added that the project would facilitate storage of nearly 24 tmc ft of water at Yeleru reservoir and help the inflow of nearly 10 tmc ft of water to Visakhapatnam to meet the drinking water, irrigation and industrial needs. In addition it would also stabilize the irrigation facilities of the local command area.

The Purushottapatnam lift project is being taken up at a cost of Rs 1,638 cr and will be completed in two phases. After the inauguration, nearly 700 cusecs of Godavari water was lifted and pumped into the Polavaram Left Main Canal by travelling a distance of nearly 10.5 km. The CM stated that Pattiseema lift scheme was commissioned in August 15 last year while the first phase of Purushotta-patnam lift scheme was inaugurated in August 15 this year. He said Pattiseema and Purushottapatnam lift schemes would help supply water to 11 districts in the state and enable the farmers take up cultivation of crops. He said, “Our government has spent Rs 44,140 cr for the execution of several irrigation projects in the last three years in the state and we will spend Rs 10,000 cr next year. We are executing as many as 28 projects in the state at present and we will spend Rs 13,000 cr to complete them soon. All this will ensure supply of water for the cultivation of crops and also help people get potable water.”