Telangana govt seeks higher Tummidihatti barrage and project clearances

Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy urged the Centre to help secure Maharashtra's consent for increasing the height of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage and sought faster environmental clearances for key irrigation projects, citing project delays, rising costs and a recent Supreme Court verdict

Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy sought the Centre’s intervention to secure Maharashtra’s consent for raising the height of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage on the Pranahita river from 148 metres to 150-152 metres. He also sought environmental clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme and other irrigation projects.

Accompanied by Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Revanth Reddy called on Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil in New Delhi on Wednesday. He said the earlier agreement between Telangana and Maharashtra provided for a 148-metre-high barrage. He cited a Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) study, which found little difference in submergence between 148 metres and 152 metres, with about half of the affected area falling within the river bed.

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He stated that a 148-metre-high structure would not provide sufficient water through gravity and sought an early meeting between Telangana and Maharashtra. He said completion of the project would provide irrigation facilities to the backward erstwhile Adilabad district.

In response, Patil said the Prime Minister’s Office had forwarded Revanth Reddy’s letter to his Ministry and that discussions would begin through the Central Water Commission between officials of the two States, followed by a meeting of their Irrigation Ministers.

Separately, Revanth Reddy and Uttam Kumar Reddy urged Union Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav to expedite environmental clearances for the Palamuru-Rangareddy, Gouravelli, Sita Rama Sagar and Dindi projects. They said the State had already spent Rs 36,437 crore on Palamuru-Rangareddy, Rs 3,187 crore on Dindi, Rs 1,835 crore on Sita Rama Sagar and Rs 1,350 crore on Gouravelli. They said delays in clearances had stalled works and increased project costs, and sought immediate approvals in view of a recent Supreme Court verdict.