Ghose Commission’s knowledge of Telangana’s past experiences doubted

The Telangana government revised the Pranahita-Chevella project plan despite prior hydrology clearance, citing insufficient water at Tummadi Hatti and Central Water Commission warnings, leading to relocation of the barrage site

Hyderabad: Former Union Minister Uma Bharathi, in a letter dated March 3, 2015, informed that hydrology clearance was accorded for Pranahita-Chevella on October 10, 2024. Yet, the Irrigation department submitted revised proposals on November 11, 2024. Why?

The Telangana government had taken a serious view of the Central Water Commission’s warning over a lack of sufficient water availability at Tummadi Hatti. The Congress government had constructed the Sriram Sagar Project with a capacity of 102 tmcft and utilised nearly 156 tmcft of River Godavari waters. However, the current capacity of the project is 80 tmcft.

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Despite good inflows during a few seasons, the peak utility of water has not crossed 100 tmcft. Before the BRS government had taken up modernisation works, there was hardly any flow of about 4000 cusecs to 5000 cusecs in the Kakatiya canals.

Moreover, the Kakatiya canals were limited to Warangal. In view of these circumstances, to ensure that Telangana does not get deprived of water through Tumaddi Hatti, the former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, as per CWC directions, had relocated the barrage location.