HYDERABAD: BRS leader T Harish Rao on Friday requested Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil to direct the Godavari River Management Board (GRMB) to withdraw Andhra Pradesh government’s objections against seven Telangana projects from the agenda points of its meeting scheduled for August 18.
The former irrigation minister wrote to the Union minister, seeking his intervention under Section 85 of the Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2014. He requested Patil to direct the GRMB chairman to withdraw item Nos. 18.3.1, 18.3.6 and 18.3.11 from the agenda of the meeting.
“The Union minister should direct that the GRMB shall not entertain any proposal seeking review or reconsideration of TAC approvals already accorded by the Ministry of Jal Shakti/Central Water Commission,” Harish Rao said.
The Siddipet MLA also requested the Union minister to direct the authorities to expeditiously process and accord the remaining statutory approvals for the Sammakkasagar Lift Irrigation Scheme, in view of the hydrological concurrence already accorded by the CWC, and similarly expedite all other eligible pending irrigation projects of Telangana.
“After the formation of Telangana, seven ongoing irrigation projects underwent a rigorous statutory appraisal process prescribed by the Central Water Commission and the Ministry of Jal Shakti. After detailed examination involving various Union ministries, departments and the concerned Basin states, these projects were granted Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) clearance. The projects are: Kaleshwaram Project (240 tmcft), Choutupally Hanumantha Reddy Project (0.80 tmfct), Mukteshwaram Project (4.50 tmcft), Chanaka-Korata Project (1.20 tmfct), Modikuntavagu Project (2.047 tmcft), Kadem-Gudem Scheme (3 tmcft) and Sitarama Project (67.05 tmfct),” the BRS leader further stated in his letter.