HYDERABAD: The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) on Friday granted environmental clearance (EC) for Chanaka-Korata, an inter-state irrigation project of Maharashtra and Telangana. The sectoral Expert Appraisal Committee, in its 28th meeting held on May 31, considered the proposal. EC was given to Chanaka-Korata (Rudha) for construction of common components of barrage and canal works in Telangana. Environmental clearance to canal work of Maharashtra portion of the project will be considered after the State submits necessary forest clearances.
Among the conditions laid down by the MoEF are that the solid waste, especially plastic waste, generated should not be disposed of as landfill material and that the terms and conditions of the MoU signed between Telangana and Maharashtra regarding implementation of the project should be adhered to.
Chanaka-Korata is a joint project of Telangana and Maharashtra on the Penganga river proposed to irrigate an area of 6,677 hectares -- 5,463 hectares in Telangana and 1,214 in Maharashtra. The command area lies in 14 villages of three mandals - Tamsi, Adilabad and Jainad in Adilabad district of Telangana and nine villages in Kelapur Tehsil of Yavatmal district of Maharashtra. The gross command area of the project is 10,442.913 hectares.
It may be recalled here that in the interstate board meeting held in Mumbai on August 23, 2016, both Telangana and Maharashtra states signed an agreement for the construction of Chanaka-Korata barrage.
The annual gross yield is 11.37 tmcft. As per the agreement, 1.5 tmcft of water will be shared between Telangana and Maharashtra in the ratio of 80:20 i.e., 1.2 tmcft and 0.3 tmcft respectively.
As many as 283 persons in 23 villages are likely to be affected due to this project. The Telangana government has already acquired land from private individuals with an R&R budget of `17.8 crore. The total cost of the project is around `399.16 crore.