Andhra Pradesh Magazine English June 2016 | Page 15

Two Years of Accomplishments AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu can be credited for displaying the political dexerity to quicklyreassess his position and come out with a low-cost, temporary solution with minimal impact on river ecology. - DNA Newspaper I t was indeed a record-breaking task, and it was completed in record time. Pattiseema Project, the first ever riverlinking project to have been completed in the country, has become a reality thanks to the commitment of the political leadership. Pattiseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (PLIS) was completed within the scheduled time of one year. Intended to draw flood waters of Godavari River and flow it to Krishna at Prakasam Barrage through Polavaram Right Main Canal, the project was all set to draw 80 tmcft water from Godavari as on March this year. Pattiseema has been widely welcomed across the nation, especially for the determination with which Naidu completed the project. National newspaper DNA called Pattiseema as ‘Chandrababu Naidu’s feat’, said, “Through improvisation, Andhra Pradesh has linked two rivers by utilising existing irrigation infrastructure without facing the pitfalls of conventional river-interlinking”. The construction of PLIS began on March 29 last year and has been completed a day before completion of one year. According to Megha Engineering & Infrastructure Ltd (MEIL) the company which executed the project, completion of an irrigation project within the scheduled time was a record of sorts. Usually, when the project is delayed, the estimated cost goes up, thus entailing an additional expenditure on the government. But in case of JUNE 2016 PLIS, the government did not have to spend additional money on the project since it has been completed on time. The pump house of the project is also the largest in Asia, with 24 pumping units. Though the project constitutes critical civil works where foundation levels are far below mean sea level, MEIL has completed these works with local technological expertise. First pump set commenced on September 18 last year in record time. Now all 24 pump sets have been tested successfully installed and being pumped. Administrative sanction was accorded for PLIS on January 1 last year for Rs.1,300 crore. The work was entrusted to MEIL with one year agreement period. Features w Pump house with 24 wells & 2 maintenance bays w Total 24 pumps to discharge 8,500 cusecs of water w Construction of 220KV double circuit transmission lines for a length of 30 km w 2500 tmc of Godavari Water goes into sea unutilised w Diversion of 80 tmcft water into Krishna w As the Polavaram Irrigation Project Head works will take about four years for completion, PLS has been conceived to protect Krishna delta from famine w PLS to lift water from Akhanda Godavari Right Bank, at Pattiseema w Discharge water into Polavaram ANDHRAPRADESHMAGAZINE.ORG Right Main canal (at KM 1.50) MEIL officials claimed that that it was the first-of-its-kind project not only in the sub-continent but also the entire world. They said that the project was unique because of the diaphragm wall foundations. “This is the first time that foundations were designed with diaphragm walls in the irrigation sector. The diaphragm wall design was used either in metro rails or in ports,” officials explained. The commissioning of all the 24 pump sets was completed on March 24 this year. Twenty-four 6,300 horse power motors and another 24 numbers of 5,300 horse power with the capacity to lift 8,500 cusecs were commissioned. The construction of a delivery cistern was also completed. The PLIS has the capacity to lift 80 tmcft of water in 110 flood days. The CM lauded Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL) and the Irrigation Department engineers for completing the project in one year after overcoming the technical glitches. An enthused Chief Minister promised to divert 100 tmcft of water from Pattiseema lift-irrigation project to the Srisailam reservoir through Pothireddipadu head regulator and complete all the irrigation projects to drive away drought from the region. Promising Krishna-Pennar river linkage, Chandrababu Naidu said his goal was to network all the rivers in the State. v 15