– Kuradi Chandrasekhara Kalkura

Sixty years ago, on Saturday, 10th Dec, 1955, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, laid the foundation stone to the Nagarajuna Sagar, Dam across the River Krishna at Nandikonda in Guntur Dist. Along with a oldest worker, Nehru carried the first tray of soil. The worker said: “This is your alms to us.” (Idi neevu maaku pettina bhiksha. – ఇది నీవు మాకు పెట్టిన భిక్ష.) Chief Minister Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy wrote and passed on in a slip the Telugu and translated version to Nehru. (Source V.Ramachandaran, Special Correspondent, The Hindu, Kurnool who covered the program.) Later in the public meeting at Guntur, quoting the worker Nehru turned emotional and with tears of joy said: “This is a stepping stone for India’s prosperity and a symbol of the series of modern temples taken up.” As a result Miryalaguda in Nalgonga Dist. has the highest (More than 150) number of Rice Mills in the country. It created job opportunities for thousands and also the economic activities have increased by leaps and bounds. It redeemed Guntur Town from the severe drinking water problem. More technical data of the Project is available in the Internet; Google search.

There are rival claims regarding the, planning, design and clearance to the Dam by the Governments of A.P. and Telangana. According to the Telangana Government it is due to the efforts of the Hyderabad Nizam’s Government. The Government of A.P. rebuts it, saying it is the result of its labour. Of course the exercises of the Hyderabad Government cannot be ignored. Within one year from the date of its formation in Nov.1,1956, the Government A.P. could not plan, design and achieve the clearance from the Planning Commission. Reality is explained by Tenneti Viswanatham, Minisister for Planning, Finance, Law and Legislative affairs in the First Government of Andhra State, from Oct, 1953 to Nov. 1954, headed by Andhra Kesari Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu. (Supplement to: Journey of my Life (Autobiography of Prakasam).

As soon as the Andhra State was formed, the Government took up the reconstruction of Krishna Barrage at Vijayawada, which was washed away in the 1951 foods and sanctioned as many as 17 Medium Irrigation Projects. Next priority was the Nandikonda Project. In this connection, Tenneti and the Dy.Chief Minister Sanjeeva Reddy, on behalf of Andhra and Dr.Melkote representing the Hyderabad Government, headed by Dr.Burgula Ramakrishna Rao met in Delhi T T Krishnamacharii, the Dy.Chairman of the Planning Commission. After explanations and evidence, a typical person as he was, Krishnamachari agreed to accord clearance only upto a level to 425 Ft. Water to the canals could be released only after crossing that level. However Tenneti gave a surprise by conceding. However intelligent and shrewd Krishnamachari might be, he could not read Tenneti’s Mind. Yet Krishnamachari broached about the possible and probable objections from the Government of Bombay. Dr. C.D.Deshmukh, a Maharastrian having married Durgabai an Andhra was the Union Finance Minister. He had a soft corner for Andhra. Tenneti met him and explained the situation. Deshmukh asked Tenneti to meet Yogi, a Member of the Planning Commission. As a last resort, Tenneti was confident of convincing Nehru and getting clearance for the project. Even if the Project were to be cleared for 425 ft. only not a drop would flow from it.

Then the Government of India and the Planning Commission could not keep quiet as the public money was spent on it. However few days later, Prakasam received an absurd letter from Krishnamachari: “Previously you did not inform the Planning Commission what major projects you want on the River Krishna. Therefore let us know quickly if you have any scheme under contemplation”. By the time the final bell was rung, Prakasam Ministry fell. Newspapers reported: “Prakasam government could not take a clear decision on the Nandikonda Project the Governor Trivedi obtained the sanction orders having used his personal influence with the members of the Planning Commission.” History is always written by the victor and the vanquished is always a villain. The Nandikonda Project, with a height of 525 Ft. was later “Renamed after the great Buddhist saint and chemist of world fame Nagarjuna who performed tapas on a nearby hill and sanctified it”.

A Chinese Proverb: “While enjoying the shade of the tree and eating the fruit, be grateful to the person who planted the sapling.”

Kuradi Chandrasekhara Kalkura is a noted Kannada-Telugu Scholar. A Udupi hotelier, and former Chairman, Zilla Granthalaya Samstha, Kurnool, Kalkura is a commentator on socio-cultural issues of Telugu states. He set up Gadicharla Foundation and running Telugu Bhasha Vikasa Udyamam. His Telugu Ratham crisscrossed the state with a message of Telugu Vendemataram.<