Medigadda Barrage: Telangana Irrigation Dept divided on way forward

The Irrigation department's top brass is deeply divided over the fate of the Medigadda barrage and the broader Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). While a significant majority, barring a few exceptions, supports putting two of the three barrages back into operation, some senior officials believe that the Medigadda barrage's issues are being overemphasized.

Hyderabad: As the Rabi season approaches, the issue of drawing water from the Pranahita River by operationalising the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project(KLIP) has sparked serious debate within the Irrigation department and government circles. The pressing need is to utilize Pranahita water over the next four months to meet the irrigation requirements of the ayacut.

The Irrigation department’s top brass is deeply divided over the fate of the Medigadda barrage and the broader Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP). While a significant majority, barring a few exceptions, supports putting two of the three barrages back into operation, some senior officials believe that the Medigadda barrage’s issues are being overemphasized.

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These officials advocate for utilizing Pranahita water by lifting it from the Medigadda pump house, thereby avoiding the need to impound water and add pressure to the barrage. They believe strongly that the structure is not fragile as it is being projected to be by the Congress government. They argue that this approach would meet irrigation needs without further compromising the barrage.

Government stance and political opposition

The political leadership within the government, however, has consistently opposed reactivating any of the three barrages constructed as part of the KLIP. Their stance has remained unchanged since the day the investigation into structural issues was assigned to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA). This opposition has created a serious rift within the department, with senior officials feeling sidelined in the decision-making process.

The NDSA, tasked with investigating the Medigadda barrage, has faced numerous procedural delays and challenges. The preliminary investigation exercise was done under the previous BRS government. It was officially commissioned for a full-fledged investigation into the KLIP construction by the Congress government in February.The NDSA was given multiple extensions after completion of initial two month-tenure as its task was not completed due to the complexity of issues and the need for thorough technical studies. The most recent extension, announced in November, pushed the deadline for the final report to December 31.

This delay has been attributed to the State government’s failure to submit necessary data and reports on time, and unauthorized repairs by State authorities without NDSA approval. The geo-physical and geo-technical studies for the Annaram and Sundilla barrages remain incomplete.Despite repeated extensions, much work is still needed on the investigation, and the final report is contingent on completing these studies. As a result, the final report may not be ready by the December deadline, and the NDSA study may require yet another extension.

Further delays could impact the farmers in the absence of irrigation support to the lands in the ayacut. It will be leading to mounting frustration among those who have already suffered for over a year. Excessive politicking around the Medigadda barrage issue may exacerbate the restiveness of farmers who have been at the receiving end of these delays, some officials feel.