Srikakulam: Andhra Pradesh Revenue Minister Dharmana Prasada Rao stated that the Government had spent Rs 2,000 crore on the Vamsadhara Irrigation project so far. Speaking to the media on Monday, he said that there were ongoing tensions with the state of Odisha and the news is that they would be approaching the Court over the Tribunal’s verdict. He said that it would take another five years for all the objections to be resolved.

We have spoken to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy about building a lift irrigation system near Gotta and pumping 19 TMC of water into the Hiramandalam project, to which the CM had responded positively, he said. This lift irrigation project will cost us an additional Rs 300 to Rs 350 crore, the Minister said.

Speaking further the Dharmana said that water was of paramount importance for development in Krishna and Godavari districts and the dispute with Odisha was unfortunate. The Minister said that efforts were being made to provide water to irrigate two lakh acres by next year's summer. To store water in the reservoir we can connect Vamsadhara and Nagavali rivers, he said. We have brought to the notice of the Chief Minister the problems faced by those who were displaced because of the project, We have requested an additional compensatory package for the Titli Cyclone victims and those oustees of the Vamsadhara project, Dharmana said.

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