Southern States agree in principle for interlinking of Godavari-Krishna-Pennar-Cauvery

On Friday, all the states within the Godavari basin unanimously agreed, in principle, to proceed with two crucial components of Phase I in the Interlinking of Rivers Project. A near-consensus was achieved during the NWDA task force meeting at Jala Soudha.

Hyderabad: All the States of the Godavari basin on Friday agreed in principle for going ahead with two key components of the Interlinking of Rivers Project Phase I. Near consensus prevailed on the issue at a meeting of the NWDA task force at Jala Soudha.

Both components envisage transfer of some 166 tmc of water from the Godavari basin. As part of the first component, the Godavari (Inchampalli) – Krishna (Nagarjunasagar) – Pennar (Somasila) – Cauvery (Grand Anicut) linking would be taken up. It would facilitate diversion of 148 tmc of unutilised water of Chhattisgarh. The DPR for the implementation of the component would be ready by December 31. This would be followed by the drafting and finalisation of the MOU process to which all the participant States would be signatories.

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The Bedti-Varada river interlinking will be the second component of the scheme. The NWDA, which has reassessed the transferability of the available and unutilised share of Chhattisgarh, presented a modified proposal this time.

Telangana would be benefitted by a share of 45 tmc (27%) of the 166 TMC sought to be transferred under both the components. Its share would be meant for covering 5.89 lakh acres of land in erstwhile Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam districts through SRSP-II, SLBC and Dindi projects.

AP and Tamil Nadu will get a share of 44 tmc and 41 tmc respectively. Karnataka and Puducherry would be benefited by 16 tmc and 2 tmc respectively. The Bedti-Varada component would provide supplementation to Tungabhadra in Krishna basin and it will provide 18 tmc additionally to Karnataka.

Telangana officials sought 50 percent of the 166 tmc to be transferred with the implementation of two components of the interlinking of rivers. But they were assured of steps to examine the scope for an enhanced share in the third phase of the interlinking of rivers. Andhra Pradesh has insisted on the implementation of the first component inter-linking Polavaram – Nagarjunasagar – Srisailam ( instead of Inchampalli – Nagarjunasagar – Somasila and Grand Anicut). But its plea was turned down by Sriram Vedire, chairman of the Task force, who presided over the standing committee meeting of the task force.

He made it clear that Telangana would not be benefitted by any such modification to the original scheme. Representatives of Telangana, AP, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry took part in the meeting.