/ -- There are many lift irrigation projects in the world, but, the Handri Neeva Sujala Sravanthi (HNSS) project has unique features among all. This lift irrigation project is having the highest number of pump houses and motors in the world. 43 pump houses built in the first and second phases of the project. By establishing a total of 269 units (motor and pump is one unit), MEIL has created a world-class project.
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HNSS is Asia's biggest and longest lift irrigation project. Explaining the reasons to be the biggest, Mr. Rammohan Reddy, General Manager MEIL, said, "Though Kaleshwaram, Devadula, Kalwakurthy, Palamuru-Rangareddy projects are bigger projects, as they are still under execution level, HNSS is recognised as Asia's biggest lift irrigation project. The California state in the USA is having the world's biggest projectwhich was built 80 years ago. This project lifts water to the highest level of terrains for drinking and irrigation purposes. Once the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project completes, all these records will be erased out. As per the number of motors, pumps, pump houses and length, HNSS is Unique amongst all. MEIL's electro-mechanical works had brought this uniqueness to the project. "
As part of the second phase, water pumping is going on in 565-kilometre length main canal through Madakashira and Punganoor branch canal. This main canal spread across Ananthapur, Kadapa, Chittoor districts. The water pumping into the main canal began in this season. 140 units in 31 pumping stations are ready to operate. As per the limitations of first year of operation, it is currently operating only 43 units. With these units, as of now, 160 tmc of water is lifted from Malayala in Kurnool district to the endpoint in Chittoor district. This water is lifted with the help of 43 pump houses. Explaining the uniqueness of the project, Rammohan Reddy said, "As two phases of the project are working now, it has become one of the world's biggest and longest unique projects. Even China or the U.S., which includes world-renowned California state water project, do not have these many pump houses. Colorado state water project has only 6 to 11 pumping stations. The motors' capacity in the Colorado project works with horsepower of electricity whereas in Handri-Neeva, pump houses works with megawatts of power. With the capacity of the unit taken into consideration, HNSS pump houses are established with the highest capacity."
Adding to the above innovative features, Rammohan Reddy elaborated, "Under the HNSS second phase, MEIL completed the construction works to supply irrigation water from Jeedipally reservoir to Madakashira branch canal to supply water to 4,04,500 acres. 19 pump houses were built to supply water to 74,400 acres in Penugonda, Hindupur, Madakashira constituencies through this canal."
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