Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao announced that the State government plans to provide Godavari water to 1.5 lakh acres in Khammam district during the Vanakalam season through the Sitarama Lift Irrigation Project (SRLIP).
On Thursday, the Minister inaugurated the trial run of the project’s phase-one pump house in BG Kothur village. The internal test run was conducted by irrigation personnel the night before.
During a media briefing, Tummala explained that Godavari water from Dummugudem anicut will reach the pump building through a gravity canal in Khammam district. He instructed workers to complete the construction of three pump houses in BG Kothur, Pusugudem, and Kamalapuram within a month.
The goal of the project is to benefit 2.48 lakh acres under the Wyra and Palair reservoirs, the Nagarjuna Sagar left canal, and provide irrigation to 10 lakh acres in Khammam, Kothagudem, and Mahabubabad districts.
Funds have been approved by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy to complete the construction of the pump buildings and cover electricity board expenses. Tummala thanked officials and farmers who contributed their land for the project.
The initial pump house in BG Kothur has six motors that can lift around 9,000 cusecs of water. Efforts will also be made to supply water to farmlands in Yellandu in the future. Dr T Venkat Rao, MLA for Bhadrachalam, was among those present at the event.
