Tummidihatti Barrage: Telangana CM Seeks Fresh Maharashtra Talks
Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy said on Friday that Maharashtra's Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has agreed to negotiate over the planned Tummidihatti barrage on the Godavari river.
Reddy has ordered officials to prepare thoroughly for a significant meeting with the Maharashtra government.
In a review session, the Chief Minister discussed multiple issues linked to the Tummidihatti barrage and the Dindi and Achampet lift irrigation schemes. Irrigation engineers presented estimates of water that could be redirected to the Yellampalli project if the barrage is built at 152 metres or at 150 metres.
Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ministers Jupalli Krishna Rao and Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Rajya Sabha MP Vem Narender Reddy and senior irrigation officers were present.
Engineers said the Tummidihatti barrage would not pose a significant flooding threat to Maharashtra's villages.
At a height of 152 metres, around 2,300 acres could be affected. At 150 metres, the submergence area would shrink to under 1,000 acres.
The Chief Minister directed officials to evaluate the potential submergence in Maharashtra and to push ahead with the project while maximising water storage and diversion.
Reddy described the barrage as vital for irrigating close to 2 lakh acres in the undivided Adilabad district. He pointed out that the district has forest cover, a large tribal population and areas that are socially and economically disadvantaged.
He voiced confidence that productive talks and agreement with Maharashtra could resolve a water crisis that has troubled the tribal region for decades.
According to him, forest-dependent tribal communities, who rely on 'jal, jangal and jameen', would also gain from the project.
The Chief Minister asked officials to prepare complete documentation of past inter-state meetings held in Delhi in the presence of the Central Water Commission and to share all information the commission has asked for.
He asked irrigation engineers to speed up work on the water route from Tummidihatti to Yellampalli and on land acquisition once the barrage height is settled.
Reddy said Maharashtra had already consented to a 148-metre barrage, but at that level the required volume of water could not be diverted.
The meeting also decided that a detailed report, covering water availability, submergence and technical considerations, should be prepared to persuade Maharashtra to accept a 152-metre barrage.
Finally, Reddy instructed ministers to articulate Telangana's water requirements and the state's position clearly and effectively during discussions with Maharashtra.