CWC appraisal of Palamuru project DPR top on State agenda

All that the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) needs finally is the appraisal of its detailed project report (DPR) by the Central Water Commission.

Hyderabad: Six clearances are on hand and one is in the offing. All that the Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) needs finally is the appraisal of its detailed project report (DPR) by the Central Water Commission.

The DPR approval and clearances due from the CWC are no longer ‘sub judice’ as the Krishna Water Disputes Tribunal –II has pronounced its stand on the Interlocutory Application filed by Andhra Pradesh opposing utilization of 90 tmc of Krishna water from the 75 per cent dependable flows into Srisailam project.

---

As the KWDT-II has rejected the IA stating that it had no jurisdiction to entertain the application, Telangana is now pursuing the issue of PRLIS DPR appraisal vigorously with the CWC. The Engineer- in -Chief (General) Irrigation and Command Area Development, C Muralidhar wrote to the Chairman of the Central Water Commission requesting to complete the appraisal of the DPR.

He sought necessary clearances to be accorded as there was no issue of ‘sub judice’ in respect of the PRLIS in any court of law. He stated that the Expert Appraisal Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forests, in its 49th meeting held on July 24, 2023 has recommended to the Minister to issue environmental clearance for the PRLIS.

The issue of environmental clearance was being processed in the Ministry concerned. The forest clearance for stage I and Stage II of the project was already accorded on January 25, 2019. The Wild Life Board Clearance was issued on September 3, 2021. Other approvals that are mandatory such as the CEA clearance, Central Soils and Materials Research Station (CSMRS) clearance, Ministry of Tribal Affairs (MOTA) clearance and Central Ground Water Board (CGWB) clearance were already issued for the project.

He stated that the erstwhile government of AP had earmarked 45 tmc of Krishna water to a Telangana project – Srisailam Left Bank Canal (SLBC) and to meet the drinking water needs of the Krishna basin areas in lieu of Godavari Water diverted from Polavaram to Krishna river basin by AP. The State level technical Advisory committee (SLTAC) had recommended to utilise 45 TMC within Krishna basin in 2013.

The proposed utilization of 45 tmc can be considered under the projects above Nagarjuna Sagar project in Krishna basin. After bifurcation, AP was left with no project that serve the in-basin areas above the NSP. All the in-basin project above NSP in fact belonged to Telangana and PRLIS is one of them. As a result the state had earmarked the 45 TMC of water to the PRLIS thus fulfilling the requirement of assured water source for the project. This in addition to an equal quantity of water saved from what has been earmarked for the minor irrigation sources in the State.

Highlights: 

Six clearances on hand for PRLIS

Forest clearance and Wildlife clearance already obtained

Environment clearance is in consideration of MoEF

PRLIS issues not before any court, no longer sub judice

TS seeks final approval of PRLIS DPR by the CWC