HYDERABAD : Telangana on Monday opposed the proposal to divert Godavari waters from Icchampally for Godavari-Cauvery link project and suggested that the water be diverted from Sammakka barrage.
Attending the 73rd governing body meeting of National Water Development Agency (NWDA) virtually from Hyderabad, Telangana engineer-in-chief G Anil Kumar sought allocation of 50 per cent of the water to be diverted from Godavari to Cauvery for Telangana.
He said that if Godavari water is diverted from Icchampally, then Telangana would face backwater issues. He said that they were using 70 tmcft for Sitarama LIS, 50 tmcft for Sammakka and 38 tmcft for Devadula. If Icchampally was used then the backwaters of Sammakka barrage would pose a threat and wanted the NWDA officials to consider Sammakka barrage for diverting Godavari waters to Cauvery.
The officials wanted the NWDA to take up simulation study before finalising the source point for diverting the Godavari waters. The officials of Telangana also opposed using Nagarjuna Sagar Project (NSP) as balancing reservoir for the Godavari-Cauvery link. The final verdict of the Tribunal on Krishna waters was awaited, the officials said. Till then the NSP should not be used as a balancing reservoir for the link project, they added.
It was proposed to divert 148 tmcft of Godavari water to Cauvery. Telangana wanted 50 per cent share in it. The allocation of 968 tmcft Godavari to Telangana made by Tribunal should not be disturbed, the state officials said.
‘Clear two DPRs’
The Irrigation department officials also wanted the NWDA officials to clear detailed project reports (DPRs) of Sammakka and Sita Rama. The preparation of DPRs of three links namely Godavari (Icchampally)-Krishna (Nagarjuna Sagar), Krishna (Nagarjuna Sagar)-Pennar (Somasila) and Pennar (Somasila)-Cauvery (Grand Anicut) under Godavari-Cauvery alternative link scheme have been completed and the DPR was circulated to respective states and UT during April 2021.