HYDERABAD: The 17th meeting of Task Force for Interlinking of Rivers (TFILR) held here on Monday proposed to give a package to Chhattisgarh, if it forgoes its rights over 141 tmcft unutilised water in Godavari for Godavari-Cauvery river linking project. The governments of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh said that they had no objection for the Godavari-Cauvery link, as long as their allocated Godavari water by the tribunal is protected.
Though Chhattisgarh was not invited for the Monday’s meeting, as it was not a beneficiary State in Godavari-Cauvery link project, the TFILR proposed to offer hydel power or others as a package for that State. There might be indirect benefits to Chhattisgarh, once it is agreed to give 141 tmcft unutilised water of Godavari, TFILR chairman Sriram Vedire said after the meeting. “As the TFILR cannot take a decision, the proposal for a package for Chhattisgarh will be placed before the Union Cabinet,” Sriram said. Before that the officials would hold discussions with Chhattisgarh officials to prevail upon them for the project.
During the meeting, the officials of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh once again reiterated their stands that as per the tribunal awards, their share of assured waters in Godavari should be given fully to the projects in respective States. The TFILR agreed for the same. The TFILR proposed to construct a barrage at Inchampally in Telangana as off take point for Godavari-Cauvery link. However, Telangana officials wanted to take Sammakka barrage as off take point. Constructing a new barrage at Inchampally would adversely affect the operation of Medigadda barrage and Sammakka barrage, the TS officials said. The TS officials also wanted to give 50 per cent share in 141 tmcft water to be diverted through the link, as vast extent of TS’ land would be submerged. The TFILR has decided to take up this issue with the Jal Shakti Ministry.
The AP officials, who participated through online from Vijayawada, proposed to take Polavaram as off take point. The AP officials proposed to divert Godavari waters from Polavaram to Nagarjuna Sagar Project. “If necessary, water from Nagarjuna Sagar can be diverted to Srisailam in reverse pumping method,” the AP officials suggested. However, the TFILR chairman Sriraim said that they could divert water from Polavaram, as Telangana would not get the benefit from Godavari-Cauvery link project. That was why they proposed Inchampally as off take point to benefit the TS, he added.
The detailed project report of Godavari-Cauvery link was ready and the beneficiary states including Telangana and AP gave their consent for the same. According to the revised estimates, the 1,211 km long Godavari (Inchampalli barrage) - Cauvery (Grand Anicut) link’s estimated cost is Rs 39,274.92 crore. The link project is proposed to introduce micro irrigation system to improve water use efficiency.
NIRA TO BE CONSTITUTED
Apart Godavari-Cauvery and Parbati-Kalisindh-Chambal (PKC) link project, today’s meeting also discussed about the constitution of the National Interlinking of Rivers Authority (NIRA) on the lines of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). Once, the Union Cabinet approved NIRA, then similar authorities for each link project too would be constituted. The Godavari-Cauvery interlinking authority will have representation from all the beneficiary states.
National Water Development Agency (NDWA) director general Bhopal Singh said that they had a good meeting today and move forward to build consensus among all the stakeholder states. “We have requested the TFILR to consider our demand to allocate 50 per cent of 141 tmcft water proposed to be diverted to Cauvery, as vast land in Telangana will be submerged. The TS needed more water as it has drought-prone areas,” Telangana irrigation engineer in chief C Muralidhar said.