SLBC tunnel to ensure irrigation even during severe drought: Komatireddy

Metro India News | Nalgonda

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

The Minister was speaking after attending the swearing-in ceremony of the newly elected governing body of the Nalgonda Agricultural Market Committee as the chief guest at the District Marketing Department office in Nalgonda on Thursday.

Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said the SLBC project, taken up at an estimated cost of Rs 2,000 crore, was intended not only to address the fluoride problem but also to provide irrigation facilities across the district.

He said the project works had remained stalled during the previous government's tenure but were resumed after the Congress government came to power. Unfortunately, the works were halted once again midway. However, they had recently been restarted and were now progressing at a brisk pace, Komatireddy Venkat Reddy said.

The Minister said the Brahmana Vellamula project was also taken up during their tenure. While irrigation water had so far been provided to 35,000 acres, the government was making efforts to extend the facility to another extent of one lakh acres.

He said the government was committed to transforming the entire Nalgonda district into a fertile region through the SLBC project.

The Minister further pointed out that completion of canals and reservoirs across the district would help recharge borewells in surrounding areas, thereby improving groundwater availability.