The Maharashtra government on Tuesday gave approval in-principle for Tummadihatti barrage with a height of 148 metres. The proposed Medigadda barrage as part of Kaleshwaram project will be decided at Pranahita Board meeting to be held here on December 29 and 30.
These two decisions were taken at Nagpur in Maharashtra at a joint meeting of irrigation ministers T Harish Rao (Telangana) and Girish Mahajan (Maharashtra).
Maharashtra irrigation minister said they had no objection if the TS constructed Tummadihatti barrage with a height of 148 metres, at which level there would be no submergence in Maharashtra.
While initiating the talks with his Maharashtra counterpart, Harish Rao said the TS government planned construction of various barrages in order to utilise its share in Godavari waters.
“The previous government of combined Andhra Pradesh proposed Tummadihatti barrage with a height of 152 metres without the consent of Maharashtra government. The Central Water Commission too expressed doubts over the availability of water at Tummadihatti,” Harish Rao said in the meeting.
Due to the objections raised by the Maharashtra government, the TS government, after the formation of separate Telangana, explored alternative plans for Tummadihatti, Harish Rao said.
He also told Girish Mahajan about the Medigadda barrage proposed as part of the Kaleshwaram lift irrigation project. Harish Rao said the WAPCOS proposed the barrage with 103 metres height and informed that the submergence will be in the river alone.
Harish Rao sought the permission of the Maharashtra government for the construction of Medigadda barrage too. While approving the Tummadihatti barrage with a height of 148 metres, Girish Mahajan, however, expressed some doubts about the Medigadda barrage with 103 metres height. The ministers have decided to convene the Pranahita Board meeting in Hyderabad on Dec 29 and 30 on Medigadda barrage.
Source: The New Indian Express