AP CM dedicates Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme to people

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu today dedicated the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme to people. It is aimed at linking Godavari and Krishna rivers and providing water to the parched Rayalaseema region in the state, in West Godavari district.
Naidu termed the occasion as historic for the country as well as for Andhra as Godavari and Krishna rivers would be linked by diverting surplus water to Prakasam barrage on Krishna river at Vijayawada.
Noting that hundreds of TMC of Godavari water is going waste into sea every year, he said the lift irrigation scheme, coupled with the multi-purpose Polavaram lift irrigation project, would help in his objective of making the state drought-proof.

He expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for facilitating the construction of Polavaram project by merging certain mandals in Telangana with AP which he said is "a task left incomplete by the previous Congress-led government at the Centre".
Though the Pattiseema lift irrigation scheme was dedicated to the people today, the pipes of the project would be operational from first week of September as the construction could not be taken up in recent days due to rains, Naidu said.
He thanked the people of West Godavari for accepting the project though the opposition spread "canards" that taking water from Godavari rive would deprive people of the district their natural share.

The CM said water would be drawn from Godavari river and irrigation projects executed elsewhere in the state only after meeting the requirements of the West Godavari and East Godavari districts.
He appreciated the public representatives and government officials for carrying out works on the lift irrigation scheme in a record time of few months.
Naidu also vowed to complete the Polavaram project, which has been conferred the status of national project, by 2018.