Jagan to discuss border disputes with Odisha CM today
Issues related to construction of Neradi barrage over the Vamsadhara River, Kotia cluster of villages and Janjhavathi project likely to be on agenda
image for illustrative purpose
Vijayawada: ANDHRA Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy will leave for Bhubaneswar and meet his Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday to discuss the issues related to construction of Neradi barrage over the Vamsadhara River, Kotia cluster of villages and Janjhavathi project.
The Chief Minister held a preparatory meeting with officials at camp office Tadepalli on Monday on the agenda to be discussed with Odhisa Chief Minister.
He will explain the benefits to both the States due to construction of Neradi barrage. The officials told the Chief Minister that 103 acres of land is required from Odisha for construction of the barrage, of which 67 acre of land is riverbed area and added that barrage will provide immediate irrigation facilities to 5 to 6 thousand acres in Odisha region.
In regard to Janjhavathi project, the officials informed the Chief Minister that the water for cultivation is being provided only to 5,000 acre out of 24,640 acre through rubber dam and completion of the project would benefit more to the farmers.
They said completion of the project would leave four villages completely and six villages partially flooded. Nearly 1174 acre of land in Odisha will be inundated due to the project of which 875 acres is government land. The Chief Minister is expected request Naveen Patnaik to co-operate with R&R.
The officials have explained the Chief Ministers the recent developments in Kotia cluster of villages on Andhra-Odisha border. Vizianagaram district collector Suryakumari said that 16 out of 21 villages have decided to be with Andhra Pradesh and added that elections were also held in those villages. The official said 87 per cent people in Kotia cluster of villages are tribal and there should be no hindrances in providing services to them.
Chief Secretary Dr Sameer Sharma, DGP Gautam Sawang, Home Secretary Kumara Vishwajit, Water Resources Secretary J Shyamala Rao, Water Resources Department ENC Narayana Reddy and Vizianagaram district collector Surya Kumari were present.
