Water wars escalate: Irrigation Minister Harish Rao to meet Nitin Gadkari

Harish Rao will demand 575 tmc of Krishna water in the total 811 tmc of assured water available as per Bachawat Tribunal award.
Telangana irrigation minister T Harish Rao
Telangana irrigation minister T Harish Rao

HYDERABAD:  In a decision that can once again escalate the water wars between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, Telangana government has decided to fight for allocation of an additional 575 tmc water in Krishna river as against its allocated 299 tmc, and also to carry fresh survey on the submergence in Telangana due to Polavaram project being constructed in AP.Ahead of their meeting with Union water resources minister Nitin Gadkari in Delhi on Thursday, Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao and Chief Secretary SK Joshi held a meeting with irrigation officials on Wednesday in Hyderabad where it was decided that the state should raise its voice for fair share of water in Krishna and Godavari for Telangana.

The state will demand 575 tmc of Krishna water in the total 811 tmc of assured water available as per Bachawat Tribunal award. As per the Bachawat Tribunal, of the 811 tmc assured water, AP got 512 tmc and Telangana got only 299 tmc. “The catchment area of Krishna river is high in Telangana than in AP. Thus, Telangana should be allocated 575 tmc,” Harish Rao demanded.

The state has decided to highlight the loss to be done to its villages due to the backwaters of Polavaram project being constructed by AP. The famous Lord Sriramachandra Swamy temple in Bhadrachalam, several villages, coal mine areas, Manuguru heavy water plant and others are likely to be submerged in Telangana under Polavaram project. This will be explained to the Union Minister by Harish Rao with a request to carry fresh survey on the submergence. “The impact of Polavaram will be spread in around 124 km radius in Telangana,” Harish Rao said.

On water allocation, with the Centre permitting the construction of Polavaram, Telangana got the right over 45 tmc extra share in Krishna as per the Bachawat Tribunal. Since Andhra Pradesh is diverting huge quantities of water through Pattiseema from Godavari basin to Krishna basin, Telangana got the right to get additional 45 tmc in Krishna. The actual allocation under Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme (RDS) for TS was 15.9 tmc, and the average usage by TS never crossed 4.56 tmc, Harish Rao said. He decided to inform Gadkari that AP was not cooperating for the continuation of modernisation work of RDS by Karnataka government.“We need intervention of the Centre for completion of modernisation work on RDS,” Harish Rao said. 

Chief secy felicitated
Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao felicitated Chief Secretary SK Joshi at Jala Soudha on Wednesday. “As a special chief secretary to Irrigation department, Joshi worked in a responsible manner for reconstruction of newly-formed Telangana state,” Harish Rao said. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao recognised the services of Joshi as Irrigation special chief secretary in completing the projects in record time, Harish Rao said. Joshi never behaved like a senior bureaucrat and worked with all officials without presumption and arrogance. “I am happy such a sincere officer was made CS,” Harish Rao said.

NIMZ to get 1.42 tmcft water from Singur

Hyderabad: TS government accorded permission for allocation of 1.42 tmcft of water from the Singur reservoir to the National Investment and Manufacturing Zone (NIMZ) near Zaheerabad in Sangareddy district. The NIMZ will pay money for the utilisation of water. The Singur water will be supplemented for its ayacut under Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme, according to orders issued on Wednesday.
 

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