Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation project: Nagam threatens indefinite strike.

Nagam Janardhan Reddy, national executive member, BJP, threatened to launch an indefinite hunger strike if the government did not restart work on the pending Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation (KLI) project by January 17. The work on the third lift was hanging fire for the last seven months. Major Irrigation Minister T. Harish Rao had promised to get the work started when he visited the site on September 17 but so far nothing has been done, Dr. Reddy said.

He told press persons recently that such was the pathetic situation that beehives and pigeon nests had come up at the lift site with the contractor moving out all the equipment. The KLI project was supposed to be completed by 2010 but only the first lift is nearing completion now. The second lift was delayed due to the collapse of the surge pool and pump house. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao promised to provide water to 2.94 lakh acres for the Kharif season but this was not possible without developing the ayacut under KLI, Bhima, Nettempadu and Koyal sagar, Dr. Reddy said.

He asked the Chief Minister to take personal interest in completing the project works before the next Kharif season and sanction balancing reservoirs for KLI and other projects.


THE HINDU