The inauguration of Pattiseema lift irrigation project, the much-hyped pet project of Telugu Desam Party Party president and Andhra Pradesh chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu, is definitely the biggest farce of this decade, if not century.
Naidu is going to “formally” dedicate the Pattiseema project to nation on Wednesday by switching on the pump and releasing water into the canal.
The government is spending huge amount for its publicity and the visit of Naidu to the spot. Ironically, this is the second time that Naidu is dedicating the project to the nation. He had done it on August 15, 2015, at the same spot, inaugurating one of the pumps.
The pro-Naidu media, which got huge advertisements, hailed it as a historic milestone in the country and described it as the first major project of interlinking of rivers – Godavari and Krishna. They also eulogised Naidu as “Apara Bhagiratha” for linking two rivers and said Krishna delta farmers are on cloud nine over the completion of project.
Well, that is history. The pump did not work even for a few minutes and the works came to a halt later. The contractor who took up the projected pocketed a few hundred crores in the name of completing the project in a “record time.” Yet, the Godavari waters have not reached the Krishna delta yet.
Now, after nearly one year, Naidu is dedicating the project to the nation again. But, if you think the project is completed and Godavari water will flow down to Prakasam barrage, you are mistaken.
According to media reports, the pumps would be run for some time to release 700 cusecs of water into the canal and then be stopped. The reason is that the canal works were completed only up to Ramileru at 66 km and it would take some more time to complete the works till Prakasam barrage. How much time, it is not known yet.
And what will farmers do if water flows only up to Ramileru, as there is no reservoir to store water there? So, water will not be released into Pattiseema till the canal works up to Prakasam barrage are completed. Then, why dedicating the project to nation again and again?
