Poola Subbaiah’s legacy returned to focus at the Veligonda Phase 1 inauguration. The project bears his name in recognition of his long campaign for water security across drought-affected western Prakasam.

The inauguration of Phase 1 of the Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project has renewed interest in the leader whose name is attached to one of Andhra Pradesh’s most significant irrigation initiatives. Poola Subbaiah was a Communist leader and former legislator who spent years campaigning for irrigation and drinking water facilities in the drought-prone western areas of the former undivided Prakasam region.

For communities that repeatedly struggled with dry conditions, water scarcity and fluoride contamination, Subbaiah became a prominent voice demanding a permanent solution. He argued that Krishna River water should be carried through the Nallamala hills to provide relief to villages that had waited decades for dependable water access.

His sustained campaign made his name closely associated with the proposed Veligonda scheme. Naming the project after him was therefore viewed as recognition of a political leader who consistently highlighted the water requirements of an underserved region.

Poola Subbaiah represented drought-affected communities and repeatedly raised their concerns in political and public forums. His work focused heavily on the lack of reliable irrigation for agriculture and the shortage of safe drinking water across western Prakasam.

Farmers in the region depended on uncertain rainfall, while several habitations faced groundwater-related difficulties. Subbaiah maintained that bringing Krishna water to the area could improve agricultural prospects, reduce drinking water stress and support the long-term development of neglected villages.

The Veligonda proposal became one of his most important public demands. He advocated the diversion of floodwater from the Krishna River system through tunnels passing across the Nallamala hills. Although the project required major engineering work, administrative approvals and sustained government funding, Subbaiah continued to promote it as essential for the region.

His campaign helped keep the demand alive even when construction appeared distant. Over time, the proposed scheme became both a development issue and a symbol of the region’s long struggle for water.

The Poola Subbaiah Veligonda Project was conceived to provide irrigation and drinking water to drought-prone and fluoride-affected areas. Its central objective is to divert Krishna floodwater from the Srisailam reservoir and carry it through the Nallamala hills to the Nallamala Sagar reservoir.

From there, the water is intended to serve targeted habitations and agricultural areas through a wider distribution network. The project is expected to improve access to drinking water while supporting farmers who have historically faced limited and unreliable irrigation resources.

Because of its size and technical complexity, Veligonda progressed through several stages under successive governments. Delays, funding requirements and construction challenges kept the project at the centre of political debate for years.

For local residents, every development surrounding the tunnels, reservoir and distribution system carried enormous significance. The inauguration of Phase 1 is therefore being presented as a major step, although the project’s full value will depend on reliable water delivery and the completion of all required infrastructure.

The decision to name the irrigation scheme after Poola Subbaiah recognises his sustained advocacy for communities affected by drought and unsafe groundwater. Unlike a routine commemorative gesture, the name directly connects the project with the cause that defined much of his political life.

Subbaiah did not live to see every stage of the plan become operational, but his campaign remained part of the region’s political memory. Local communities continued to associate him with the demand to bring Krishna water across the Nallamala terrain.

The project’s name ensures that future generations understand the history behind the scheme and remember the public movement that preceded its construction. It also highlights how long-term infrastructure projects often emerge from decades of local pressure, political advocacy and community mobilisation.

The Veligonda scheme consequently represents more than canals, reservoirs and tunnels. It reflects the persistence of communities that sought a dependable water source and the efforts of leaders who carried their demands into the political arena.

The Phase 1 inauguration became an emotional occasion for Poola Subbaiah’s family. His daughters, Vilasini and Sunanda, were honoured by Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu during the program.

Vilasini said the family had never imagined that they would witness the project becoming a reality. She thanked the chief minister and expressed confidence that people in the region would continue to remember her father’s contribution to the movement for Veligonda.

For the family, the occasion marked the fulfilment of a cause to which Subbaiah devoted years of public life. For the drought-affected population, it revived hopes that the long-awaited infrastructure would produce meaningful improvements in drinking water availability, farming and regional development.

The lasting success of Veligonda will ultimately be measured by the amount of water delivered to intended communities and the consistency of that supply. Yet its name already preserves Poola Subbaiah’s place in Andhra Pradesh’s history as a leader who made the region’s demand for water central to his political mission.