Yeleru Left Main Canal repair postponed due to valve leakage and MLC election code, says Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Corporation Director

VIWSCO postpones YLMC repair work to February 20 due to valve leakage and MLC election code. Alternative water supply arranged.

The repair work of the Yeleru Left Main Canal (YLMC), which was scheduled to begin on February 15 (Saturday), has been postponed. It is likely to start on February 20.

The Visakhapatnam Industrial Water Supply Corporation (VIWSCO) will undertake the YLMC repair work at an estimated cost of ₹7.99 crore. This will improve its capacity by the upcoming summer and beyond. The YLMC is the prime water source for VIWSCO.

VIWSCO Director P. Sivaprasad Raju clarified that the work has been postponed due to two main reasons. Firstly, the valve repair work at the main point of the Yeleru reservoir, is being undertaken by the Irrigation Department. To start the YLMC repair work, the water from the reservoir has to be completely stopped. However, due to a valve leakage at the reservoir entry point connecting the YLMC, it is impossible to take up the repair work. Irrigation Department officials are currently working on it. Secondly, the MLC election code is in force. VIWSCO has approached the Election Commission authorities to grant permission to take up the work, as Model Code of Conduct is in force.

“We are yet to receive orders from the Election Commission authorities to start the work. We are currently working to stop the leakage. We expect the VIWSCO to go for the repair work on or after February 20. At the same time, we have also made alternative arrangements for the water supply needs during the repair work period which will end by March,” Mr. Raju said on Saturday (February 15).

VIWSCO supplies water to the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) to meet the drinking water needs of 25 lakh odd population, and industrial needs of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited-Visakhapatnam Steel Plant, NTPC Simhadri, APIIC-Achyutapuram SEZ, Gangavaram Port, and also cater to the needs of rural areas through Rural Water Supply schemes.

The State government has decided to immediately take up all the remaining works of package-8 of the Polavaram Left Main Canal (PLMC) at an estimated cost of ₹100 crore. The YLMC is part of it.

VIWSCO has taken the opportunity to undertake repairs of structures and removal of bushes in the deep cut reaches of YLMC as its responsibility to improve the canal capacity during the ‘closing period (February to March 31).