HYDERABAD: The Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) has decided to approach the Union ministry of water resources, requesting it to define a new irrigation project with regard to Godavari River as both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh are constructing projects to utilise the river water.
While the irrigation officials of Telangana and AP are at loggerheads over the construction of new projects without taking its permission and accusing each other, the board asked them to submit the detailed project reports to it. AP terms the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation scheme (KLIS) as illegal while Telangana has apprehensions over the Polavaram project. Hence the GRMB’s directive to them to submit the DPRs.
But both the states told the board that the respective projects were not at all new projects and had been proposed by the then governments in the erstwhile united state. At this point during the GRMB meeting here on Tuesday, the board decided to request the central government to define a new project with regard to Godavari basin.
“Both AP and TS have agreed to furnish DPRs of new projects to GRMB. However, for definition of new project under AP Reorganisation Act, 2014, the apex council or the union ministry of water resources and river development needs to be approached,” the GRMB meeting resolved.
The meeting also decided to install telemetry system for measuring water contribution from various tributaries to be provided in phase-1. According to GRMB sources, the AP government agreed to deposit the balance amount of budgetary fund of `3.19 crore for 2018-19.
“The GRMB presented the draft GRMB Absorption Rules-2018 at the meeting. After deliberation both the states agreed to have the issue examined further by their respective departments,” according to a press release.
The meeting asked the project authorities or nodal officers of both the states to enter the requisite data relating to irrigation projects on GRMB’s official website.
NOD FOR ODISHA PROJECT
The GRMB meeting accorded technical clearance for construction of Middle Kolab multipurpose irrigation project proposed by the Odisha government. The project is intended to generate 285 MW hydro power. The powerhouse releases water into Kerajodinallah from where it flows to barrages. It will also provide irrigation to 30,000 hectares in Malkangiri district.