Ryots seek extension  of Guntur Channel

GUNTUR: Nearly 1.3 lakh residents in five mandals of Guntur and Prakasam districts have been demanding extension of Guntur Channel for drinking and irrigation purposes. A similar demand was put forth 80 years ago during the rule of the British. Also in 1961, but no action has been taken.
Denizens of Prathipadu, Pedanandipadu, Kakumanu and Vatticherukuru mandals in Guntur district and Parchuru mandal in Prakasam district have been agitating for the construction of Guntur Channel further 30 km. The channel flows from Krishna river to the GMC limits for a distance of about 47 km. 

The supply of drinking water through the channel has been extended to 33 more villages and irrigation water to 27,000 acres. It supplies drinking water to GMC, Tadepalli and Mangalagiri municipalities. 
According to 2011 census, Tadepalli municipality has a population of 54,362 and Mangalagiri municipality 73,613. The total population in the GMC is put at 7.3 lakh. 

The Guntur Channel draws 400 cusecs of water on an average from Prakasam Barrage and the water flows through Mangalagiri, from which water is pumped to supply 90 million liters per day (MLD) at Takkellapadu. Two lift irrigation projects have been planned to lift water for irrigation from Guntur to Paruchuru. Nallamada Rythu Sangam president Dr. Kolla Raja Mohan, Nagulapadu sarpanch Bandi Nageswara Rao, Market Yard former chairman Narisetty Acharyulu and others undertook a padayatra demanding Guntur Channel extension up to Parchuru in Prakasam district.

Vital source
The channel flows from Krishna river to the GMC limits for a distance of about 47 km
Guntur Channel, though an irrigation channel, is the principal source of water for the people of Guntur 
The channel draws water from Krishna river at Prakasam Barrage and through a minor duct flows into the filtration plant at Takkelapadu

The lifeline
The Guntur Channel draws 400 cusecs of water on an average from Prakasam Barrage and the water flows through Mangalagiri, from which water is pumped to supply 90 MLD at Takkellapadu.Another 27 MLD is drawn from the summer storage tank at Sangam Jagarlamudi and 4 MLD from Vengalayapalem pipeline