HYDERABAD: Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) will be the Three Gorges Dam of Telangana, on the lines of the project by the same name in China, said an irrigation official on Saturday.
The Three Gorges Dam in China is attracting around 2 million tourists every year, besides generating revenue through fishing activities and cargo handling.
"The Kaleshwaram project has scope for tourism and other activities like Three Gorges Dam," explained Sridhar Rao Deshpande, Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Irrigation Minister, who recently visited the Three Gorges Dam as part of his official trip.
Deshpande told Express on Saturday that Godavari river, from Kandakurthi in Nizamabad district to Dummugudem in Bhadradri district, was 500 km in length. With the construction of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation scheme, 274 km of Godavari will have live water for the whole year.
"At present, we have seven barrages. It is required to construct some barrages to store water between Sadarmat anicut to Yellampalli. From Tupakula Gudem to Dummugudem, construction of some more barrages are required for storing water. With this, the entire 500 km stretch of Godavari will have live water and the seaway could be developed by the Central government up to sea in AP," Deshpande added.
It may be recalled that the Inland Water Ways Authority of India recognised Pranahita and Godavari as potential rivers for developing inland water ways.
He said that the barrages being constructed as part of Kaleshwaram had provision for the movement of ships in the future. Kaleshwaram will not only develop agriculture, but also could develop fishing, fish processing plants, tourism and seaway transportation.