· Minister Uttam meets CWC Chairman in Delhi, flags Krishna water diversion by AP, seeks safeguards against Polavaram backwater impact
New Delhi, May 7: In a determined push to resolve Telangana’s pressing irrigation and water allocation concerns, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy met Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairman Atul Jain in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting focused on expediting water allocations for two major projects — the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage – while also raising critical issues related to inter-state water management, infrastructure safety, and backwater impact from the Polavaram project.
Launched in 2015, the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project is a flagship initiative aimed at irrigating approximately 12.3 lakh acres across the drought-prone districts of Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Vikarabad, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda. The scheme proposes lifting 2 TMC of water per day from the Krishna River during the 60-day flood season using a series of five pumping stations to address water scarcity and groundwater depletion in the region.
During the meeting, Minister Uttam requested a total water allocation of 90 TMC for PRLIS, with an immediate sanction of 45 TMC in the first phase, citing that Telangana had already complied with all procedural and documentation requirements laid down by the CWC.
Similarly, the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage, located at Thupakulagudem in Mulugu district, is designed to stabilise irrigation for nearly 5.55 lakh hectares under the J. Chokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Sriram Sagar Project (Stages I & II). With a total capacity of 6.94 TMC, the barrage will also cater to the drinking water needs of several villages along its route.
Uttam Kumar Reddy urged the CWC to expedite the allocation of 44 TMC for the Sammakka-Sarakka project, noting that all necessary maps and documentation had been submitted. He underlined the importance of early approval to ensure that agrarian communities dependent on these projects are not left vulnerable to recurring droughts.
In addition to these project-specific matters, the Minister expressed serious concerns over the illegal diversion of Krishna River water by Andhra Pradesh. He called on the CWC to immediately install telemetry instruments at critical points along the river to monitor water flows and prevent unauthorised withdrawals. He pointed out that Telangana had already released its financial share for the installation of these instruments to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
It may be noted that CWC Chairman Atul Jain is also currently holding additional charge as Chairman of the KRMB and the Polavaram Project Authority, which makes his role pivotal in ensuring compliance, coordination, and transparency in inter-state water sharing and monitoring.
Highlighting another major concern, Uttam Kumar Reddy drew attention to the potential backwater threat from the Polavaram Project. He urged the CWC to undertake a fresh assessment of backwater impacts on Telangana’s border villages and recommend necessary safeguards to prevent flooding and displacement.
Uttam Kumar Reddy drew the attention of the CWC Chairman to the recent report by the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), which raised serious concerns about the structural and design integrity of the entire project, not just the Medigadda Barrage, but also the Annaram and Sundilla barrages. He pointed out that the NDSA, after its technical inspection, had recommended that the Telangana Government seek the technical advice and oversight of the CWC to evaluate the safety of KLIS infrastructure and determine the way forward.
The report cited multiple structural deficiencies, including sand piping, foundation instability, and poor quality control, which led to irreversible damage in some components of the project. Acting on this recommendation, Uttam Kumar Reddy requested the CWC to engage with the State Government in conducting a comprehensive geotechnical and structural review and to advise on corrective measures to restore and safeguard the project.
Expressing optimism after the meeting, the Minister said that Atul Jain responded positively and assured that the CWC would act promptly on all representations made by the Telangana Government. (Maxim News)
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