Godavari water to flow into Polavaram canal on Sept. 2
Godavari water will be released into the Polavaram Irrigation Project Left Main Canal (PIPLMC) on September 2, paving the way for irrigation and drinking water supplies in parts of Anakapalli and Visakhapatnam districts.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will release the water at Payakaraopeta in Anakapalli district as part of the ‘Jala Harathi’ programme.
The State Water Resources Department has completed the 213.409-km PIPLMC and drawn up plans to link Godavari water with the Thandava, Varaha and Sarada river systems in north coastal Andhra Pradesh.
The canal originates at Nelakota in Polavaram district and ends at the Meghadri Gedda Reservoir in Visakhapatnam. The canal and its distribution network are expected to irrigate nearly 1.5 lakh acres and benefit 204 villages in Nakkapalli, S. Rayavaram, Payakaraopeta, Yelamanchili, Rambilli, Kasimkota and Anakapalli mandals.
The project gained momentum after Naidu visited Darlapudi village on July 11, 2024. He directed officials to supply 23.44 TMC of Godavari water to Visakhapatnam city and Anakapalli, besides meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of areas along the canal.
In the first phase, water will be supplied by gravity to 56 minor irrigation tanks. Of these, 24 will be linked through the Thandava system, 27 through the Varaha system and five through the Sarada system, stabilising irrigation over 13,927.57 acres. Another 26 open head channels covering 43,412.79 acres will receive water.
The project is also expected to provide drinking water to 290 villages beyond Tuni, benefiting around four lakh people.
Officials said 325 cusecs would be diverted near Tuni to provide irrigation to 14,795.15 acres through the Thandava system, while 586 cusecs would be released into the Varaha basin to support 26,652.63 acres. Another 350 cusecs would be channelled through Mamidiwaka Gedda to strengthen the Sarada river network.
Water Resources officials said the interlinking would improve water utilisation in the upper reaches and reduce the impact of deficient rainfall and El Niño conditions on agriculture.
Visakhapatnam Circle Superintending Engineer P. Appala Naidu said integrating the PIPLMC with minor irrigation sources and open head channels would improve water utilisation and provide farmers with a buffer against erratic weather.