Where there is a will, there is a way. This adage has once again been proved with the signing of historic agreement between the Telangana and Maharashtra governments on the construction of major irrigation projects on the Godavari River and its tributaries, thereby ending decades of discord between the two riparian states. The agreement will pave the way for the construction of Medigadda barrage, 20 km downstream of Godavari river at Kaleshwaram in Warangal District, providing irrigation to over 16.4 lakh acres in Telangana and Tummidihatti barrage in Adilabad district on Pranahita river providing irrigation to two lakh acres. Both projects have been taken up as part of a redesigned Pranahita-Chevella project, which the Centre is actively considering taking up as a national project. The agreement will also facilitate the construction of barrages at Lendi, Chanakha-Korata, Rajapet and Penpahad by the two states as part of the inter-state Lower Penganga project.
Both governments displayed sagacity and a give-and-take approach in resolving a river dispute which had stalled projects for four decades. While the Telangana government led by K Chandrasekhar Rao agreed to reduce the Full Reservoir Level of Tummidihatti barrage from 152 metres to 148 metres so as to avoid submergence of 5,248 acres of land in the neighbouring state, the Devendra Fadnavis-government has given its nod for the construction of Medigadda barrage, which will tap about 160 tmc ft of water from Godavari.
Significantly, both Chief Ministers have agreed to set up an inter-state water board to oversee construction of the barrages and ensure there are no further disputes. This agreement will become a role model for other states in resolving inter-state river water disputes through cooperation. The credit for the pact should go to KCR, who has taken initiative to break the ice between the two states. He displayed political will to take forward the deal and announced allocation of `25,000 crore for irrigation projects from this year on so all pending projects can be completed in the next three years and a large section of Telangana in drought prone areas will benefit.
