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States » SouthPosted at: May 7 2025 8:33PM


Uttam urges CWC to expedite water allocation for key Telangana irrigation Projects

Hyderabad, May 7 (UNI) In a determined effort to address Telangana’s critical irrigation and inter-state water sharing issues, Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister Capt N Uttam Kumar Reddy met with Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairman Atul Jain in New Delhi on Wednesday.

The meeting focused on accelerating approvals for two major irrigation projects — the Palamuru-Ranga Reddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage — and also raised pressing concerns about illegal water diversion, dam safety, and backwater risks from the Polavaram project.

The Palamuru-Ranga Reddy project, launched in 2015, aims to irrigate around 12.3 lakh acres in drought-prone districts such as Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Vikarabad, Rangareddy, and Nalgonda. It proposes lifting 2 TMC of water per day from the Krishna River during the 60-day flood season using five major pumping stations.

During the meeting, the Minister requested a total allocation of 90 TMC for the project, with an immediate release of 45 TMC in the first phase, highlighting that Telangana has fulfilled all procedural and documentation requirements laid out by the CWC.

The Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage, located at Thupakulagudem in Mulugu district, is intended to stabilize irrigation across 5.55 lakh hectares under the J. Chokka Rao Devadula and Sriram Sagar (Stages I & II) Lift Irrigation Schemes. With a storage capacity of 6.94 TMC, the barrage will also supply drinking water to several villages. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy urged the CWC to expedite a 44 TMC allocation for the project, reiterating that all necessary documentation and maps have already been submitted.

Beyond project approvals, the Minister raised serious concerns over the unauthorized diversion of Krishna River water by Andhra Pradesh. He urged the CWC to install telemetry instruments at key points along the river to accurately monitor flows and prevent illegal withdrawals. He noted that Telangana has already released its financial share for this initiative to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).

The Minister also expressed concern over the potential backwater impact from the Polavaram Project on Telangana’s border villages. He called for a fresh assessment by the CWC and recommended safeguards to prevent flooding and displacement in vulnerable areas.

Further, the Minister referenced the recent National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA) report on the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS), which raised serious questions about the structural integrity of not just the Medigadda Barrage, but also the Annaram and Sundilla barrages. Citing the report’s findings on structural deficiencies — including sand piping, unstable foundations, and poor quality control — Uttam Kumar Reddy requested the CWC to provide technical oversight and assist the state in conducting a comprehensive geotechnical and structural review of the KLIS infrastructure.

Minister Reddy expressed optimism following the meeting, stating that Chairman Atul Jain responded positively and assured that the CWC would take prompt action on the representations made by the Telangana Government. Notably, Jain currently holds additional charge as Chairman of both the KRMB and the Polavaram Project Authority, making his role pivotal in addressing inter-state water disputes and ensuring transparent and coordinated water resource management, an official statement said.
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