While welcoming Visakhapatnam becoming a smart city and Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu visiting the city on Saturday to attend a video conference on the subject, former Minister Konathala Ramakrishna said the city should not turn into a city of scarcity since it is facing a severe water problem which would become acute in near future.
One month ago frantic efforts were made to divert water from Raiwada and Sarada to stop the public sector Visakhapatnam Steel Plant from being shut while the Vizagites continue to face drinking water scarcity. Such a situation does not prompt one to call Visakhapatnam a smart city, Mr. Ramakrishna told reporters on Friday.
At present the city needs 170 mgd of water but is getting only 120 mgd while 400 mgd is needed in future. He wondered how the private investors would look at Visakhapatnam when the public sector plant is not assured of water. Mr. Ramakrishna wanted Mr. Naidu to make a thorough study into the water scarcity during his visit and come out with a solution and avoid friction between the rural and urban area and rural area and industries.
He recalled his letter to the Chief Minister seeking steps to be taken to avoid water scarcity, to the city, industries and the farmers and the need to take up the Uttarandhra Sujala Sravanthi project to irrigate lakhs of acres in the north coastal Andhra and provide sufficient water to the people and industries. Additional lifts at Pushkar and Kateru could be provided and meanwhile a lift at Purushottapatnam should be provided to pump water into canal to reach Visakahpatnam.
