VIJAYAWADA: The State Water Resources department is expecting a favourable decision on the Pothireddypadu canal system up-gradation and Rayalaseema Pumping Scheme (RPS), proposed to supplement the existing drawl of allocated Srisailam water, from the National Green Tribunal (NGT), which will hear the State government’s version on Monday.
If the State manages to get the interim stay vacated on the petition filed by a ‘farmer’ from Telangana against the proposed project, which triggered a fresh row over water sharing between the twin Telugu States, the officials will initiate the tender process.
The tribunal, last month, constituted a committee to examine if the project needed environmental clearances and if it would impact the water resources, as alleged by the petitioner, and directed the State not to go ahead with the proposed project until further notice.
The committee was ordered to submit a report in two months. However, the State sought a hearing, which has been listed for Monday. Sources in the department said that the government had already filed a counter to the petition explaining that the proposed project would not hurt the interests of the neighbouring State and that it would not have any environmental impact as it is only a supplemental scheme to the existing mechanism.
“We are planning to immediately go for tendering once we get the requisite clearances as the Chief Minister directed that the works be launched by October. The tenders will be called for in two packages after the judicial preview,” the official added.
The State had issued a Government Order on May 5 according administrative sanction of `6,829.15 crore for upgradation of canal system of Pothireddypadu Head Regulator from existing 44,000 cusecs to 80,000 cusecs, RPS (3 TMC per day) at Sangameswaram and other allied works. While the Telangana vehemently opposed it and complained to the Union Jal Shakti ministry and the Krishna River Management Board, the State government-furnished its views and agreed to submit the detailed project reports.