HYDERABAD: In a significant step towards advancing Telangana’s long-pending plans to harness Pranahita river water, Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday agreed to reconsider Telangana’s proposal to increase the height of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage.He also suggested constituting a joint committee comprising officials from both states to examine the feasibility of the proposal.The proposal came up during talks between chief minister A Revanth Reddy and Fadnavis in Mumbai, where Telangana renewed its demand to construct the barrage at a height of 152 metres, against the 148 metres agreed upon earlier.According to the Telangana CMO, the proposed joint committee, headed by the principal secretaries of the irrigation departments of both states, will examine various aspects of the project, including the proposed barrage height, water availability, extent of submergence, impact on agricultural land and compensation requirements before a final decision is taken.
Responding positively to Telangana’s request, Fadnavis said Maharashtra was open to reconsidering the proposal. However, he emphasised that several technical, environmental and administrative processes would have to be completed before a conclusion could be reached.152-metre barrage deemed most viable option: Uttam If the project does not adversely affect Maharashtra or its people, our govt will have no hesitation in supporting Telangana’s water requirements in the larger national interest,” he reportedly told the meeting.
Fadnavis also said his govt was willing to examine Telangana’s request to increase the Tummidihatti barrage height and would conduct an independent study to assess the proposal’s feasibility.The study will examine the suitability of the construction site, the extent of submergence at different height levels and the amount of land likely to be affected. If Telangana raises objections to the findings, officials from both states will jointly review the estimates and hold further consultations, he said.The discussions mark a significant step in Telangana’s efforts to secure Maharashtra’s consent for increasing the proposed barrage height. According to the CMO, the previous BRS govt had agreed to a barrage height of 148 metres, which, it said, constrained Telangana’s ability to fully utilise its share of river water.Revanth, accompanied by irrigation minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, explained Telangana’s case for increasing the barrage height. The state argued that the 148-metre height provided for under the original 2016 agreement would not adequately meet the irrigation requirements of the region.Making a detailed presentation, Uttam Kumar Reddy said rising energy costs, environmental concerns, climate change and the need for long-term operational sustainability made it necessary to maximise gravity-based water conveyance systems.Against this backdrop, he described a barrage height of 152 metres as the most viable option for meeting the region’s future water requirements. He also informed the Maharashtra govt that Telangana was willing to compensate farmers affected by submergence in accordance with Maharashtra’s land acquisition and compensation policies. Revanth Reddy invited his Maharashtra counterpart to participate in the Invest Telangana Global Summit, scheduled to be held at Bharat Future City on the outskirts of Hyderabad from Dec 7 to 9.
