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Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy dedicated the Tunnel 2 of the Owk project to the people by unveiling its pylon and releasing 20,000 cusecs of water from Gorakallu reservoir to Owk reservoir amid recital of hymns by Vedic pundits here on Thursday.
The government has so far spent Rs.1501.94crore on Owk Tunnels with Rs.567.94crore being incurred on Tunnels 1 and 2.
Out of the 5.801 km length of Tunnel 3, an extent of 4.526 km was completed with a cost of Rs.934crore and the works relating to rest of 1. 275 km are in full swing. The total cost of the Tunnel 3 is estimated to be Rs.1297.78crore.
Last year, the Chief Minister dedicated to the people Nellore and Sangam barrages which are the lifelines of Penna delta and the Handri-Niva Lift Irrigation project that would fetch water to 77 lakes to meet the drinking and irrigation needs of the western parts of Nandyala and Kurnool districts.
Due to the sustained efforts of the Chief Minister, Government paid a compensation of Rs. 1000crore to the displaced persons of Gandikota reservoir in which 26. 85 TMC of water could be stored in successive years from 2019.
The displaced persons of Chitravati reservoir were paid compensation Rs 250 crore after which officials had succeeded in storing water to its capacity level against the storage of 4 TMC of water during the TDP rule.
The Irrigation Department could also maintain capacity water levels in Veligodu reservoir from 2019 after government spent Rs 500 crore and completed the lining works of the link canal and Telugu Ganga canal.
The Owk project witnessed hectic activity when Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy was the Chief Minister as the then Government spent Rs.340.53crore completing major portion.
The project was neglected between 2014 and 2019 as the TDP government abandoned the fault zone spending a meagre Rs. 81.55crore following which the present Government sanctioned necessary funds and completed the Tunnel 2 with Rs.145.86 crore.
With the release of water to Owk reservoir, an integral part of the Galeru-Nagari Sujala Sravanthi (GNSS) project, Government has fulfilled the long-cherished aspirations of Rayalaseema people.
While the Tunnels 1 and 2 facilitate the daily release of 20,000 cusecs of water into the Owk reservoir during flood season, completion of Tunnel 3 will facilitate release of another 10,000 cusecs daily.
With the completion of the tunnels, Gandikota, Vamikonda, Sarvaraya Sagar, Mylavaram and Paidipalem reservoirs will receive additional 1TMC of water daily for irrigating 2.60 lakh acres in the undivided Kadapa, Chittoor and Nellore districts besides stabilizing 1.31 lakh acres of Ayacut and providing drinking water to 20 lakh people in 640 villages.
While it will help fill the Gandikota reservoir in 15 days through Galeru-Nagari flood canal, Rayalaseema will receive 2 TMC of water daily in flood season.
