Telangana to go for optimum utilisation of Godavari water
Hyderabad, Aug 12
The government of Telangana has resolved to utilise Godavari River water at the optimum level.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday ordered the officials to carry out lift operations from the Yellampalli, Devadula, and Sitarama projects for maximum utilisation of available water in Godavari.
At a review meeting of the Irrigation Department, the Chief Minister noted that as per the NDSA (National Dam Safety Authority) recommendations, water is not currently being stored in Sundilla, Annaram, and Medigadda barrages (all part of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project).
According to the Chief Minister's Office (CMO), he emphasised the need to strictly follow NDSA recommendations in this regard.
During the meeting, Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy briefed the Chief Minister that defects had been identified in both the Medigadda and Sundilla barrages.
Chief Minister Revanth Reddy suggested consulting the NDSA on this matter immediately. Uttam Kumar Reddy also informed that water lifting operations using nine pumps were being carried out at the Devadula project is an unprecedented move. The Chief Minister instructed the officials to focus specifically on resolving any minor issues related to lift irrigation operations for the Devadula and Sitarama projects.
The pending payment of compensation to the farmers in a few villages from whom the land was acquired under various projects was reviewed. The Chief Minister ordered the officials to prepare an action plan ensuring immediate disbursement of the compensation to the farmers.
The Irrigation and Revenue officials were also instructed to conduct field visits and prepare a factual report regarding the villages which are prone to submergence as well as pending compensation and rehabilitation issues.
The Chief Minister emphasised that compensation must be paid immediately to villages facing an immediate impact, and completing the task would pave the way for filling the Baswapur and Gouravelli projects with water.
CM Revanth Reddy ordered the officials to conduct a comprehensive study on increasing the capacity of the Gattu and Gudemdoddi lift irrigation schemes and the appointment of a consultant for the Gudemdoddi pumped-storage project.
CM Principal Secretary V. Seshadri, CM Secretary Manicka Raj, State Irrigation Secretary E. Sridhar, and R&R Commissioner Shiva Kumar Naidu were present.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The compensation issue is long pending. I'm glad the CM is finally looking into it. Many families in submerged villages are still waiting for their due payments. Hope the action plan is implemented on ground quickly. 🙏
NDSA recommendations must be followed strictly. We cannot compromise on safety of these barrages. Good that the CM is consulting experts before moving ahead. But what about the timelines? We need a clear deadline for the repairs and for restoring full capacity.
Impressive focus on infrastructure and water management. The idea of pumped-storage and increasing capacity of lift irrigation schemes shows progressive thinking. Hope the technical studies are thorough and transparent. This could be a model for other states.
This is all well and good, but what about the environmental impact? We are already seeing groundwater depletion in many regions. Hope the government studies the ecology of the river basin before going all out on lifting water. Sustainability should be the priority.
The nine pumps at Devadula is indeed an unprecedented move. We need such bold decisions to fight the water crisis. But we must also ensure that the neighbouring states don't raise objections. Water sharing should be done amicably, respecting all stakeholders.
The field visits for submergence-prone villages are a welcome step. But we need transparency in the R&R process. The
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.