Andhra Pradesh: Three TDP MLAs from Prakasam district urge CM Jagan Mohan Reddy to drop RLIS

VIJAYAWADA: Three TDP MLAs from the Prakasam district on Sunday demanded that Chief Minister YS Jaganmohan Reddy immediately withdraw the proposal to enhance Pothireddypadu head regulator capacity at Srisailam from 44,000 cusecs to 80,000 cusecs and the proposed Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme. 

In a letter sent to the Chief Minister on Sunday, the three MLAs -- Yeluri Sambasiva Rao, Dola Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy and Gottipati Ravi Kumar -- said it would have an adverse impact on Prakasam district, which is the tail end district under the Nagarjuna Sagar Project.

"Drought-prone Praksam is only dependent on the waters from Nagarjuna Sagar for both drinking water and irrigation needs. Increasing drawal capacity of Pothireddypadu through RLS will deny the water to Prakasam district," they said. 

If the Nagarjuna Sagar reservoir would not receive required water from Srisailam, the Prakasam farmers would face a severe crisis, they argued. The TDP MLAs said that water would be released to Sagar only when the Srisailam reservoir is full, but the AP and Telangana projects were lifting water from Srisailam at the water levels of 825 ft and 805 ft.

Over 1 lakh cusecs water was being lifted at Srisailam even before the water level touches 850 ft.  "If there is no water in Sagar, how will Prakasam get water to meet its needs?" they questioned. 

Recalling how the Chief Minister had talked about protecting the rights of the Rayalaseema farmers to utilise their share of 145 tmc in the Krishna waters, they said Prakasam and Guntur district too have the right to use their share - 132 TMC - of Krishna water.