Flood spectacle: People flock to Nagarjunasagar

NALGONDA: It was like a festive atmosphere near Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) as a large number of tourists turned up to witness the lifting of all 26 crest gates of NSP on Monday.More than 1,000 people from Nalgonda, Guntur and Hyderabad flocked the Nagarjuna Sagar to have a sight of the heavy floods and lifting of gates.The tourists reached NSP by four and two wheelers.However, project authorities did not allow them on the project in view of the ministers' visit. However, around 600 to 700 people could reach the top of the project.An equal number of people went beneath the project to have a downside view.Major Irrigation Minister Sudharshan Reddy had formally lifted the gates and released the water into the Prakasam Barrage. NSP has been receiving huge inflows for the last few days, the gates of which have been lifted and water released for the farmers.The state government has also agreed to provide irrigation water for the second crop under NSP due to heavy inflows. The minister later said that he was happy that all projects have been filled with water in the state.Sudharshan Reddy, Panchayat Raj minister Jana Reddy and Infrastructure minister Komatireddy Venkat Reddy had released 3 lakh cusecs of water through the 26 crest gates at a height of seven feet.Sudharshan Reddy said that Nagarjuna Sagar water has been utilized for 31 lakhs acres of agricultural land and to produce hydel power.Since the reservoir has been getting huge inflows, water would also be released for the second crop, he assured the farmers.Jana Reddy said due to heavy inflows, canal modernisation works were delayed, he said. The World Bank has sanctioned `4,444 crores for the modernisation of the project canal.