HYDERABAD: Andhr a Pradesh on Saturday took a quantum leap in its efforts to mitigate the water problem of the perennially drought-affected Telangana region by signing an agreement with the Maharashtra government for construction of the BR Ambedkar Pranahita- Chevella Sujala Sravanthi project.
The agreement was signed by principal secretaries of Irrigation SK Joshi (AP) and Eknath B Patil (Maharashtra) in the presence chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, his Maharashtra counterpart Prithviraj Chavan and Union water resources minister Pawan Bansal at Shram Shakti Bhavan in Delhi.
Estimated to cost `40,300 crore, the project will cater to the irrigation and drinking water needs of both states.
It provides irrigation water to 16.5 lakh acres in seven drought-prone areas in Telangana besides bringing drinking water to Hyderabad and many other towns and villages enroute.
The agreement would secure all clearances for the project and also help get it national project status, an elated Kiran Kumar Reddy said soon after the deal was inked.
“Pranahita-Chevella will be the lifeline for Telangana...
As submergence of lands was more in Maharashtra, in the absence of an agreement with that state, the project will run into legal hurdles and get delayed,” Reddy said.
The project was already in the Prime Minister’s package and eligible for 57 percent funding from the Centre.
National project status would get 90 percent funds for the project from the Centre,” Kiran Reddy said, adding, “Works for the project are under way and we have spent Rs 1,670 crore already.” The government was also working out to reach an agreement with the Chhattisgarh and Orissa governments on the Polavaram project.
The states should themselves solve water-related issues, Kiran Reddy said.
Chavan said: “Both states will benefit from the project and, therefore, both will work together for better utilisation of the Godavari waters.
We, together, will handle submergence issue.” Two districts in Maharashtra would get water under Pranahita-Chevella project.
What the Project Brings
The project envisages diversion of 160 tmcft of water by constructing a barrage across Pranahita river, a major tributary of the Godavari.
It further utilises 20 tmcft of water from the Godavari at Sripada Yellampally scheme.
The project is intended to irrigate a command area of 16.40 lakh acre in drought-prone Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, Medak, Warangal, Ranga Reddy and Nalgonda districts in Telangana.
It also caters to industrial requirements and drinking water needs.
Of the 40 tmcft meant for drinking water, 30 tmcft would be diverted to Hyderabad and the remaining to the towns and villages enroute to Hyderabad.
District-wise Ayacut in Acres Adilabad 1,56,500 Karimnagar 1,71,449 Nizamabad 3,04,500 Medak 5,19,152 Nalgonda 2,29,832 Ranga Reddy 2,46,704 Warangal 11,863 TOTAL 16,40,000 Clearances
In-principle clearance for submission of DPR has been accorded by the CWC in April 2010.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is submitted to the Central Water Commission in October 2010 and is under scrutiny in various directorates and their remarks are being addressed.
It requires clearances from 12 directorates. Clearances received so far: Central Soil Material Research Station (CSMRS) Construction Machinery Consultancy (CMC) Central Ground Water Board (CGWB)