Apex Council nod must for new irrigation projects
TS, AP are bound to submit detailed project reports to KRMB for clearance, says Centre
Hyderabad: The Centre has made it clear to Andhra Pradesh that it should not go ahead with the Pothireddypadu and Rayalaseema Lift Irrigation Scheme (RLIS) projects until they are technically appraised and cleared by the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB) or Central Water Commission (CWC) and is sanctioned by the Apex Council.
Further, Union Ministry of Jal Shakti pointed out that as per Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act (APRA)-2014, both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are bound to submit the detailed project reports (DPRs) of new projects to KRMB for appraisal and technical clearance and sanction by the Apex Council.
Responding to a letter written by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao in October this year and subsequent meeting of the Apex Council, Union Minister of Jal Shakti Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said any irrigation or multi-purpose project, whether mentioned or not in KWDT-I or APRA-2014 unless techno-economically appraised by CWC and accepted by the Advisory Committee of the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR,RD&GR) should be considered as new project for the purpose of appraisal, irrespective of the fact whether it was conceived before or after bifurcation of erstwhile Andhra Pradesh. Further, he felt that those projects with change in scope also should be considered as new projects.
“The KRMB and Ministry of Jal Shakti have written many times to Andhra Pradesh to not go ahead with this (Pothireddypadu) project until it is technically appraised and cleared by KRMB orCWC and sanctioned by the Apex Council. This was discussed in the Apex Council meeting held on October 6 where both the Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh agreed to submit the DPRs of new projects to the respective Boards (KRMB/GRMB) immediately for appraisal and subsequent sanction by the Apex Council. Thus, the stand of the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti is very clear on this aspect that AP should not go ahead with this project until such appraisal and sanction,” he said.
Further, the Telangana government was also advised against proceeding with seven projects – third tmc component of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), Sitarama LIS, GLIS Phase-III, Tupakulagudem project, Telangana Drinking water Supply Project, Barrages on Lower Penganga River and Ramappa lake to Pakhal lake diversion, until the mandatory appraisal was done by Godavari River Management Board (GRMB). The Union Minister stated that the 2 TMC component of Kaleswaram project was accepted by the Advisory Committee of DoWR, RD&GR, in June 2018, but subsequently the scope of this project has been changed by Telangana State by adding the 3rd TMC component to it which requires that statutory clearances from the Central government.
Water disputes
Shekhawat, in his letter, stated that the Union government was ready to consider referring the Krishna water disputes to either a new tribunal or to the existing Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal (KWDT)-II, but only after the Supreme Court disposes of the pending cases in this regard. With regards to Godavari river waters, he said the Centre was ready to take a positive decision and asked both the sister States to formally send requests to the Union government seeking for establishment of a new tribunal. He pointed out that as per decision taken during the previous Apex Council meeting, the jurisdictions of KRMB or GRMB will be notified. “Once notified, the aspect of water regulation from Srisailam including power generation to release water to downstream Nagarjunasagar, will be done by KRMB as mandated by APRA-2014,” he added.
Telemetry system
Regarding setting up of telemetry systems, the Union Minister of Jal Shakti asked both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments to clear their dues, enabling the KRMB to install them and monitor usage of the Krishna river water. “I would like to reiterate that the Central Government would extend all required cooperation in resolving the water sharing and utilisation issues between both the States. I hope that we swiftly move forward on all the decisions taken in the 2nd Apex Council meeting and ensure that the legitimate water rights of both the States are realised at the earliest,” he said.
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