HYDERABAD: The state Cabinet has decided to restore the Medigadda, Annaram and Sundilla barrages, part of the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), by the end of December, following recommendations from Central agencies, including the Central Water Commission (CWC) and National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
The Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, met here on Thursday. Briefing the media, Information Minister Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy said the CWC and other agencies had given specific instructions on constructing a cut-off wall upstream and a spillway apron downstream. “The government will follow those instructions,” Ponguleti said.
Before the meeting, Revanth held a review of the project and directed officials to restore the three barrages in line with recommendations from dam safety experts and Central agencies. He asked them to secure the necessary permissions by the end of this month and begin work by the end of the year, ensuring that past mistakes were not repeated.
Officials said plans had been drawn up to restore the barrages at an estimated cost of `4,193 crore. The respective contractors would bear the cost of repairs arising from construction defects, while the government would fund additional works.
Revanth directed officials to take up all works simultaneously and counter the Opposition’s campaign that the government was not lifting water from Medigadda despite sufficient water in the Godavari.
Irrigation officials said lifting water from Medigadda was currently not possible.
The gates of the Sundilla and Annaram barrages would have to be closed to divert water from Medigadda to Yellampally. However, the NDSA had advised against closing the gates of Annaram and Sundilla, they said.
24.81 tmcft water lifted from Godavari till October: Officials
Officials also informed the chief minister that Godavari water had been lifted this year through the Devadula and Sitarama projects and supplied to the combined Warangal, Nalgonda and Khammam districts.
“On average, the previous BRS government lifted 9.57 tmcft of water every year from Devadula. The present government has been lifting 18.13 tmcft every year for the last three years. Thus, the present government used 89% more Godavari water when compared with the 10-year rule of the BRS government,” they said.
They added that 24.81 tmcft of water had been lifted till October this year 16.71 tmcft through Devadula and 8.10 tmcft through Sitarama.
At a glance
Rs 5 lakh insurance scheme to be launched in Siddipet on November 19
n Applications for Indiramma Insurance to be collected from eligible beneficiaries from November 20 to 30
n Cabinet approved bifurcation of the SC and ST Commission into separate bodies, each with a chairman and five members, to expedite grievance redressal
OTHER CABINET DECISIONS
Ministers assigned responsibilities for the Global Summit scheduled for December 7-9
Programme to be held across the state, with ministers and MLAs spending time with beneficiaries. So far, 2.25 lakh houses have been completed
Cabinet approves amendments to the Telangana Fire Service Act, 1999, with an ordinance to be issued shortly to prescribe safety measures for houses, apartments and commercial complexes
Cabinet approves an amendment to Section 12(A) of the Telangana Survey and Boundaries Act, 1923, reducing the appeal period against notices from 60 to 30 days
136 posts sanctioned for newly established courts in Kataram and Elkathurthi as well as Yadadri, Mahbubabad and Rajanna-Sircilla districts
