Andhra Pradesh's mega river-liking project 'Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme' has entered the Limca Book of Records for being completed within a year. The project interlinks the Godavari river with the Krishna river in the West Godavari district.
Proud to see Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project make it to the Limca Book of records. pic.twitter.com/a39qXgCMM4
— N Chandrababu Naidu (@ncbn) March 25, 2017
"Proud to see Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Project make it to the Limca Book of records," said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Twitter.
The project is considered as the first and fastest river interlinking in south India which will take care of irrigation and drinking water needs of drought-prone Rayalaseema region in the state.
With 3,000 tmc of Godavari water flowing away into the Bay of Bengal each year, this project aspires to do a lot more with that water. As per the scheme, water will be taken from Godavari's right bank, near the Pattisam village, and discharged into the Polavaram right canal. Also, 120 TMC ft water will be drawn from Godavari and released into the Krishna, thus changing the face of both Rayalaseema and the Krishna delta.
There is not much water in the Krishna with a number of dams being built in Karnataka, bringing drought to Krishna delta, once proudly known as the rice bowl of Andhra Pradesh.
The project was first dreamt about in the 1950s by K.L. Rao, an engineer who was also the Central water resources minister. Though the Vajpayee's NDA government had reviewed the project, it materialised only now.
Megha Engineering Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) has completed the first phase of work in less than six months.
The project has faced opposition from various political parties and the displaced families.
