Telangana cautions on linking Godavari-Cauvery river

Engineer-in-Chief C Muralidhar wrote to NWDA asking it to consider the proposal only after the completion or at least active construction of the Mahanadi- Godavari link of Inter-Linking of Rivers project in due course.

Hyderabad: Telangana Irrigation Department officials reiterated the demand for a study on water availability in the Godavari before taking up the Godavari-Cauvery river link project. Engineer-in-Chief of Telangana Irrigation Department C Muralidhar on Friday wrote to the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) asking it to consider the proposal only after the completion or at least active construction of the Mahanadi- Godavari link of Inter-Linking of Rivers project in due course.

He stated that since, there is no surplus water available for diversion at 75% dependability, as ascertained by Central Water Commission and NWDA for the Godavari-Cauvery link proposal, the Godavari (Inchampalli)-Krishna (Pulichintala) link proposal of NWDA being from the same source also cannot be taken up.

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Explaining the ground reality, he stated that the erstwhile Andhra Pradesh had proposed a dam at Inchampalli for utilisation of Godavari waters in the Telangana region but Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh objected to it due to submergence issues in their States. Since the location is very close to the inter-State border with Chhattisgarh it may again lead to objections from that State, he informed.

The Sammakkasagar barrage is located just 24 km downstream of Inchampalli barrage site and one more major barrage nearby would cause difficulties in routing the flood as the lag time is very less between these reservoirs, he stated.

Downstream utilisations from the proposed site in Telangana are about 158 TMC and might get affected. Any water for diversion can be contemplated only after firm availability of Telangana requirements. Hence, the NWDA should take up a study on water availability in the Godavari before taking up the project.