Hyderabad: Telangana government adviser Mohammed Ali Shabbir reiterated his lifelong commitment to the completion of the Pranahita-Chevella project on Saturday, declaring that he would not rest before irrigation water permanently contacts farmers in the Kamareddy area.
Shabbir Ali chaired a review meeting with Pranahita-Chevella RWS officials at the R and B guesthouse in Kamareddy, Shabbir Ali said: “It was a dream of my life and even with its last breath, I would have been able to see this project complete.
Shabbir Ali thanked Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and Finance Minister Malu Bhatti Vikramarka for approving Rs 23 crore to revive the project. He strongly criticized the former BRS government, accusing it of colluding to cancel the original Pranahita-Chevella project by combining it into the Kaleshwaram Lift irrigation program.
“This move has deprived poor farmers of 3.5 TMC of irrigation water, affecting hundreds of acres,” he said.
“In the decade of the BRS rules, there was no even Rs 10 crore allocated. Now the Congressional government has restored the original design, which will provide 15 TMC irrigation water. Farmers are also providing land to the project.”
Shabbir Ali directed officials to speed up land acquisitions and other pending issues and resume work immediately. So far, 80% of the compensation has been allocated and the rest will be completed using an approved Rs 23.15 crore. He promised: “We will start construction within 15 days.”
The project is expected to irrigate 80,000 acres in Kamareddy, 10,000 acres in Banswada, 30,000 acres in Yelledydy, and 12,000 acres in Ramayampet in Medak District.
He also promised to make the most of Godavari waters by restoring old pipes and laying new ones to ensure drinking water supplies over the next 20 years. “As the peak of summer, everything must be done to avoid water shortages,” he directed.
