Title: Need to declare Buckingham Canal passing through Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu as a National Water way system – Laid.
(NELLORE) : The Buckingham Canal is one of the most important inland water-way Systems prevailing in the country for several decades, linking Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, Chennai in Tamil Nadu and passing through several important township like Nellore and others. The canal has been very important for inland transportation of agricultural produce, granite, sand, cement, food stuff etc. to the regions located along side the canal. In several places even passengers used to be ferried by steamers in this canal. This canal also provides a source of livelihood for lakhs of people from weaker sections. But the canal has been rendered unusable for transportation purposes due to heavy silting which has occurred due to floods in the past and various other factors. Besides improving the transportation system the development of Buckingham canal as a National Water-way System would also go a long way in creating employment opportunities and in development of fisheries. A large section of population living in these regions hail from the backward scheduled caste and scheduled tribe communities.
I would request the Central Government to kindly consider declaring the Buckingham canal as a National Water-way system and take necessary measures in this regard.