Legislators take oath make AP drought-free

On the World Water Day, members of Andhra Pradesh Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly today took a pledge that they would do their bit to conserve water and strive to make the state drought-free.
Chairman A Chakrapani administered the pledge to the members in the Council.
Speaker Kodela Sivaprasada Rao administered the pledge in the Assembly after Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu made a 25-page statement highlighting the need to conserve water and the various steps initiated by his government in this regard.
"...I will not waste a drop of water and will be a partner in water conservation. I will do my bit for conserving water and building drought-free Andhra Pradesh," the pledge read.

Naidu said his government was trying to build a Smart Water Grid to make the state drought-proof in next five years.
"The vision of the government is to make the state drought-proof within five years with the aim of eradicating poverty and reducing economic inequalities through better water management. Water conservation mission has been launched as a sub-mission under Primary Sector Mission.

"Inter and intra-linking of rivers from surplus to deficit basins is a major drought-proofing measure, which will also help in ground water recharge," the Chief Minister said.
"Through inter-linking of rivers, it is proposed to utilise 150 to 200 tmc ft of water thereby bridging a gap ayacut of 15 lakh acres and creating a new ayacut of 14 acres in drought-prone areas of Rayalaseema (four districts), SPS Nellore and Prakasam districts," he added.

Smart Water Grid would be created on the lines of electric
power grids to ensure water supply to needy areas by storing water in surplus areas.
A number of cascades would be developed in all the river basins in the state through inter-linking of all tanks while a series of check dams and sub-surface dams would be constructed at suitable locations on all minor rivers and streams to recharge ground water, the Chief Minister said.
A massive programme of digging ten lakh farm ponds was undertaken under the Panta Sanjivani scheme for water supplementation during times of scarcity. The farm ponds would also help in recharge of ground water, Naidu added.

Speaker Kodela cut Leader of Opposition Y S Jaganmohan Reddy short when the latter sought to find fault with the Chief Minister's statement on irrigation projects.
"Today is World Water Day....Don't dilute the issue. There is no scope for any discussion on the government's statement," the Speaker told Reddy.
YSRC members rushed into the Well of the House but the Speaker strongly told them to not to create a scene.
The Speaker then administered the pledge to the MLAs and adjourned the House till Saturday.
Water Resources Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao read out the Chief Minister's statement in the Council.