SLBC will enable use of Srisailam dead storage water during drought: Komatireddy

Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy at a meeting in Nalgonda on Thursday.

Roads and Buildings Minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy has said completion of the Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) tunnel project would enable Telangana to draw water from the dead storage level of the Srisailam reservoir and provide irrigation to farmers even during severe drought conditions.

Addressing the newly constituted Nalgonda Agricultural Market Committee governing body on Thursday, he said the SLBC project was conceived at an estimated cost of ₹2,000 crore to resolve the fluoride problem and provide irrigation facilities across Nalgonda district.

The project had remained stalled during the previous government’s tenure. The Congress government resumed the works after coming to power, but they were halted again due to the accident. The works had recently resumed and were progressing at a brisk pace, he said.

Mr. Venkat Reddy said the government was committed to making the entire district agriculturally prosperous through the SLBC project. He also pointed out that the Brahmana Vellamla project was taken up during the Congress tenure earlier and was currently providing irrigation to 35,000 acres.

MLC Shankar Naik, Nalgonda Mayor Burri Chaitanya Srinivas Reddy, former municipal chairman Srinivas Reddy, former ZPTC member Gummala Mohan Reddy and Assistant Director of Marketing Department Chaya Devi were among those present.

B. Hemalatha Venkat Reddy took oath as chairman of the Nalgonda Agricultural Market Committee, while V. Srinivas Goud assumed charge as vice-chairman. The directors also took oath administered by Ms. Chaya Devi.