Prakasam:
Andhra Pradesh on Monday witnessed an important moment as Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu inaugurated Phase-I of the Veligonda irrigation project and released Krishna water into the Nallamala Sagar reservoir.
The Veligonda project was discussed for nearly three decades, and now, with its inauguration, the TDP government said the project will bring much-needed irrigation and drinking water to drought-prone areas of Markapuram, Prakasam, Nellore, and Kadapa districts.
According to the government, Phase-I will release about 10.70 TMC of Krishna water. It is expected to provide irrigation to around 1.19 lakh acres and drinking water to nearly four lakh people. When the full project is completed, officials say it could irrigate about 4.47 lakh acres.
Chief Minister Naidu described the inauguration as the fulfilment of a long-pending dream.
He also pointed to March 5, 1996, when he laid the foundation stone for the project as the Chief Minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh.
The government said his administration recently speeded up the remaining works and paid Rs 768 crore in rehabilitation compensation to 6,206 displaced families.
But the inauguration has also started a political fight.
YSR Congress Party leaders said Naidu is taking credit for work mainly carried out during the governments of former Chief Ministers YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
Former CM and YSRCP chief YS Jagan said on X that Veligonda was his father YSR’s dream and claimed that the most difficult twin-tunnel works were completed during the YSRCP government. He accused Naidu of trying to “rewrite the history” of the project. YSRCP also claimed that 20.33 km of tunnel work was completed during the YSR period, 6.686 km during Naidu’s 2014-19 government, and the remaining 10.568 km during Jagan’s government.
The ruling TDP-led NDA, however, said the present government overcame the final hurdles and made the project ready to release water.
Responding to YS Jagan, TDP working president and Minister Nara Lokesh defended the government’s position. In his X post, Lokesh said Jagan was trying to claim credit for a project that had remained incomplete for years. He argued that the present government had completed key pending works and was now delivering water to the people.
The political debate may continue, but for farmers and families in the drought-hit region, the main question is simple: When will the water reach their fields and homes?
For the region, Veligonda is more than an irrigation project, as it will bring Krishna water to drought-hit areas, improve irrigation, provide safe drinking water to fluoride-affected villages, support farming and create better economic opportunities. On the other hand, Veligonda is now more than a political symbol, attracting voters by delivering promises.
