Hans News Service Kakinada

Despitethe looming impact of Super El Nino and severe drought conditions, the government is ensuring irrigation water to the Yeleru ayacut, water resources minister Nimmala Ramanaidu said on Friday.

During his tour in Kakinada district, the minister inspected water levels in canals under the Yeleru ayacut. Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Nehru and Prathipadu MLA Varupula Satya Prabha accompanied him.

Ramanaidu directed irrigation officials to immediately utilise operation and maintenance funds for desilting and urgent repairs to the Yeleru Project Main Canal. He said the reservoir was originally designed to depend on local water sources, but prevailing drought conditions have made irrigation through Yeleru waters alone impossible.

To address the situation, the government will divert Godavari waters into the Yeleru reservoir through the Pushkara Lift Irrigation Scheme and the left canal. He said Yeleru would not have received even a drop of water without the Pushkara scheme and credited its conception to Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.

The minister said Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan had directed officials to give special attention to farmers in the Yeleru and Pithapuram Branch Canal ayacuts. He urged farmers to cultivate less water-intensive crops, adopt water conservation measures, prioritise drinking water and insure their crops.

Later, the minister inspected bridge construction works at NH crossings near Bendapudi in Tondangi mandal and Arempudi in Sankhavaram mandal under Tuni constituency.

Ramanaidu said the government is accelerating Polavaram Left Canal works to fulfil the long-pending dream of north Andhra.