Pulichintala spells fresh trouble - TeluguPeople.com News

NALGONDA/GUNTUR: Impounding of water in Pulichintala is slowly turning into a controversy between the Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments.

The Telangana government is understandably upset as storing of water is leading to inundation of five villages in Mellacheruvu mandal, Nalgonda district, disrupting road connectivity. If the water level continues to rise, even houses will be flooded in the villages.

Trouble started with officials at the Pulichintala project deciding to store water following increased inflows from the Nagarjuna Sagar project. Water level at Pulichintala as on Tuesday evening was 42.8 meters.

Though it is permitted to store up to 11 TMC (44 meters) in the first year (following State division), Nalgonda district collector had cautioned the project officials to ensure that nearby Telangana villages aren't submerged.

In a letter to both AP and TS governments, the collector advised the irrigation officials at the Pulichintala Project to see that water level does not cross 40 meters - anything above means villages under the project would be flooded and as yet, relief and rehabilitation package promised to them hasn't been implemented.

However, his advice apparently fell on deaf ears. With the Pulichintala project officials storing water up to 42.8 meters, road connectivity to Vellatoor, Adloor, Nemalipuri, Chitriyala and Kistapur villages in Melacheruvu mandal has been cut off. The district administration has put revenue and police departments on stand-by to shift villagers in case the situation worsens.

Andhra Pradesh irrigation department officials are reportedly not yielding to the request of their Telangana counterparts to lift the gates of Pulichintala and release the water downstream.

The district administration has deputed revenue officials along with irrigation department officials to the project site to reason with the AP irrigation officials and the dialogue process is in progress.

AP releases water

In response to the request by the Telangana Government, nine gates of the Pulichintala Irrigation Project have been lifted and water is being released downstream into the river Krishna at 90,000 cusecs on Tuesday evening.

Water level in the project is expected to come down by Wednesday morning and waters inundating roads leading to five villages in Nalgonda district are expected to recede.

CM KCR upset

It is learnt that during a review meeting with officials on Sunday, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao expressed his ire over the development and wanted the officials to see that Pulichintala gates are lifted. TS officials are in talks with AP officials to sort out the issue.

Ap, ts villages flooded

Road connectivity to Gollapeta, Kllouru, Chityala, Chityala Tanda and Bodhanam villages of Bellamkonda and Achampeta mandals in Guntur district cut off. Officials are using fibre boats to evacuate villagers. Road connectivity to Vellatoor, Adloor, Nemalipuri, Chitriyala and Kistapur villages in Melacheruvu mandal in Nalgonda district has been cut off.

Pulichintala History

Located near Pulichintala village on river Krishna about 85 km upstream of the Prakasam Barrage, Vijayawada. It is a multipurpose irrigation project meant for serving irrigation needs, hydro power generation and flood control. It is a crucial irrigation facility for farmers of four coastal districts of West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam. Its main object is to make available water to nurseries and also for stabilisation of ayacut under Krishna Delta to 12.5 lakh acres.

'No Need to Worry'

AP irrigation officials and Pulichintala project officials maintain outflow from the project is more than the inflow and say water level is being maintained between 41-42 meters. They say they are not planning to impound waters in the project at 11 TMC as is being reported in a section of the media.