Sitarama Project Trail Run: A Significant Milestone in Khammam’s Irrigation Development
The Sitarama Project, an ambitious irrigation initiative, has successfully completed its trial run in Khammam district. At the Ashwapuram Mandal near B.G. Kothuru, irrigation officials executed the first lift trial run, marking a significant step towards enhancing the region’s agricultural productivity.
Successful Trial Run of Sitarama Project Motors
The successful trial run of the motors in the Sitarama Project heralds the project’s potential to irrigate 1 million acres. Efforts are underway to ensure that water reaches the Vaaira project within this year. District Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao has shown special interest in the project’s construction, emphasizing its importance for the region’s agricultural future.
Khammam’s Dream Project
Often referred to as the dream project of Khammam district, the Sitarama Project has been a long-cherished aspiration for the local populace. Although initial attempts by the TDP to realize such a project were hindered by funding issues, the foundation was laid after Thummala Nageswara Rao joined KCR’s cabinet.
Foundation and Vision
Despite Thummala losing the 2014 elections following the formation of Telangana, he secured a ministerial position. Recognizing the critical need for irrigation projects to cultivate green fields in the unified Khammam district, Thummala utilized his experience to initiate the Sitarama Project, aiming to lift Godavari waters.
Strategic Planning for Water Distribution
Proposals were prepared to distribute Godavari waters across ten constituencies in the unified Khammam district. Chief Minister KCR, determined to irrigate 1 million acres in Telangana, approved Thummala’s proposals and named the project after the revered location of Bhadrachalam, calling it the “Sitarama Project.”
KCR Lays the Foundation
On February 16, 2016, then-Chief Minister KCR laid the foundation stone for the Sitarama Project. Designed to channel 70 TMC of water from the Godavari River via the Dummugudem barrage to Bhadrachalam, Khammam, and Mahabubabad districts, the project aims to irrigate 700,000 acres.
Construction Progress and Challenges
The construction of the Seetamma Sagar barrage, with a capacity of 36 TMC, is ongoing. To store lifted Godavari waters, reservoirs are being constructed. However, despite seven years since the project’s foundation, it remains incomplete.
Accelerating the Work
Thummala, now a minister in Revanth Reddy’s cabinet, has intensified focus on the Sitarama Project. Over the past five years, the project has progressed slowly, but Thummala is determined to transform the unified Khammam district into a verdant region using Godavari waters.
Recent Reviews and Directions
In a recent review with officials, Thummala assessed the construction of the pump house at Gandugulapalli in Dummapeta Mandal. He addressed issues such as funding, land acquisition, distributary canals, link canals, and railway road crossings, providing directives to expedite the work.
Completing the Paleru Link Canal
Thummala believes that completing the Paleru link canal to bring Godavari waters to the Sathupalli area would alleviate irrigation challenges across the district, fulfilling a decades-old dream. Completing the canals up to the Enkuru regulator will enable water flow from the Nagarjuna Sagar left canal to Sathupalli and from the Bonakal branch canal to the Vaaira and Madhira constituencies.
Maximizing Seasonal Water Use
During the flood season in June and July, Godavari waters can be lifted to fill the Paleru and Vaaira reservoirs, ensuring sufficient water for monsoon crops. Since the Nagarjuna Sagar fills only after August, the availability of Godavari water allows for the cultivation of Rabi crops.
Transforming Khammam District
With the successful cultivation of two crops annually using water from both the Godavari and Krishna rivers, the unified Khammam district is poised to become a lush green landscape. The district’s residents are optimistic that Thummala’s determination will see the completion of the Sitarama Project within five years, leading to the agricultural prosperity of the region.
