Telangana Open Offer to Maharashtra on Medigadda Height

Clarity on barrage height will be known after joint survey.

HYDERABAD: The state government reportedly gave an open offer to Maharashtra government on the height of the proposed Medigadda barrage. The state government proposed to construct Medigadda barrage at a height of 103 metres. However, Maharashtra raised objections over the submergence of their lands.

“Now, the TS government gave an open offer to Maharashtra to decide the height of Medigadda barrage. If Maharashtra says the height should be restricted to 101 metres or even less, Telangana is ready for the same,” sources in the irrigation department told Express.

“If the submergence of the area in Maharashtra is vast, Telangana has to give more money for compensation. We too wanted to avoid the same. We will ensure minimum submergence of lands mostly within the river bed area,” official sources said. This was the offer made by the Telangana government to Maharashtra during signing of the MoU in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Immediately after signing of the MoU for Inter-state Board for Irrigation Projects between Maharashtra and Telangana states, the official team from Maharashtra descended on Medigadda area. “The fresh joint survey to decide the height of Medigadda barrage commenced on Tuesday itself,” sources said.

HIGH-LEVEL TEAM TO COME ON MARCH 19

Meanwhile, a high-level team of officials from Maharashtra will come to the state on March 19 to conduct a joint inspection along with Telangana officials. Clarity on the height of Medigadda barrage will emerge only after the joint inspection.

“We will judiciously take care of submergence in Maharashtra,” TS officials said. However, the FRL will be at 103 metres and storage would be decreased.

After the MoU, the Maharashtra government directed tahsildar and Dy SP of Gadchiroli to deploy sufficient police force at the joint survey area. “The copies of the security arrangements too were sent by  Maharashtra to TS officials,” sources explained.

INLAND WATER WAYS Meanwhile, after the historic pact with Maharashtra, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao directed the officials to plan for inland waterways in Godavari.

Rao directed the officials to identify two or three places for the construction of barrages above SRSP.