Somasila Swarnamukhi Link Canal

BRIEF BOTE ON PROJECT PROFILE :

The Somasila Swarnamukhi Link Canal takes off At Km 12.520 of Somasila

Kandaleru Flood Flow Canal which is component of Telugu Ganga Project and runs for a length of 100.425kms, with a carrying capacity of 2500 c/s at head and with starting

F.S.L. of +93.580M.

This canal is intended to provide irrigation facilities to the high level layout situated on Right Side of K.P. Canal. There are 316 M.I. Tanks in Nellore and Chittoor

Districts with contemplated ayacut of 1.10Lakh Acres which is not commendable by K.P.

Canal. Somasila Swarnmukhi Link Canal is intended to stabilize 1.10Lakh Acres under 316

MI tanks and also providing drinking water facility to 2.50Lakh population in en-routing

Mandals (0.20 TMC) by diverting 4.65TMC of Pennar Flood Waters.

The Government has accorded administrative approval for the above scheme for

Rs.399 Crores vide G.O.Ms. No. 99 I & CAD (Major Irrigation) Department dated

26.05.2006.

The above entire work was divided in to three reaches conveniently. Reach-1 starts from km 0.000 to km 9.500 under package No-15 ,Reach-II starts from km 9.500 to km

39.900 under package No-16 and Reach-III start from km 39.900 to km 100.425(TE) under package No-17.

The Canal alignment traverse in Nellore District up to Km.73.000 and from

Km.73.000 to Km.100.425 traverses in . The Agencies of upper reaches i.e., Package No.15 and Package No.16 are requested the government for closure of the

Agreements due to delaying in acquisition of forest land and Revenue land and the same was submitted to the Govt.

Detailed investigation was taken up for avoiding the forest reaches and the department came to opinion that it is not possible to detour the canal from forest reaches up to km.56.250. Beyond km.56.250 and up to tail end, the canal traverses in the Reserve forest in 5 reaches as follows. Sl.No. Reach Length in Name of Forest Extent in Mts Ha. 1 Km.62.200 to Km.64.500 2300 Venkatagiri RF 38.041

2 Km.69.500 to Km.71.950 2450 Venkatagiri RF 28.733

3 Km.73.000 to Km.74.100 1100 Venkatagiri RF 4.400

4 Km.75.500 to Km.76.100 600 Inagaluru RF 2.960

5 Km.93.000 to Km.97.260 4260 Erpedu RF 38.850

Since the process of acquisition of Forest lands is delayed for much longer time, the then Chief Engineer, NTR TGP, has inspected the site on 16.08.2014 and instructed to obtain the revised alignment and Hydraulic particulars from the agency by detouring the canal reaches running in the forest zone where ever possible. Thus the

Superintending engineer has furnished the revised hydraulic particulars of detour alignment in the following 3 reaches where the detouring in the forest lands is possible.

Sl.No. Reach Length Name of Forest Extent in in Mts Ha.

1 Km.62.200 to Km.64.500 2300 Venkatagiri RF 38.041

2 Km.69.500 to Km.71.950 2450 Venkatagiri RF 28.733

3 Km.93.000 to Km.97.260 4260 Erpedu RF 38.850

The Forest alienation Proposals to an extent of 7.36Ha. for the remaining 2 reaches were prepared and submitted for acquisition. As such due to this detour alignment proposals the canal will be through from Km.56.250 to Km.100.425 which is under Package No.17, 80.89% of intended object is fruitful under Somasila Swarnamukhi

Link Canal.