Palamuru-Rangareddy LIS hits CWC Directorate roadblock on water issue

Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) has hit a major roadblock with the Project Appraisal Organisation of the Central Water Commission (CWC) refusing to appraise the project on the grounds of lack of water availability

Palamuru-Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) has hit a major roadblock with the Project Appraisal Organisation of the Central Water Commission (CWC) refusing to appraise the project on the grounds of lack of water availability.

The Directorate (PAO) in the CWC has returned the detailed project report of PRLIS to the Chief Engineer of the project at Nagarkurnool last week highlighting lack of half of the water proposed to be utilised with the project, 45 tmcft out of 90 tmcft, stating that the 45 tmcft water being claimed by Telangana for the project is pending finalisation before the Brijesh Kumar Tribunal (KWDT-II). Another 45 tmcft for the project is proposed from savings in the minor irrigation sector.

Upset with the CWC Directorate’s decision, the Telangana government has decided to move the Ministry of Jal Shakti (MoJS) instead of approaching the CWC again, highlighting different yardsticks being used by the CWC to appraise projects. Highly placed sources in the Irrigation Department told The Hindu that a team of senior officials would visit New Delhi later this week to raise the issue before MoJS Secretary along with a formal letter.

“Right over 45 tmcft water for use in the basin areas above Nagarjunasagar in lieu of diversion of water from the Godavari Basin to Krishna Basin in Andhra Pradesh is a settled matter as per the GWDT Award. The in-basin projects above Nagarjunsagar lie purely in Telangana and the projects in Rayalaseema and beyond utilising water drawn from Srisailam are outside the basin,” explained a senior engineer.

Sources pointed out that the same Directorate of the CWC had given clearance to Upper Bhadra project in Karnataka, which is also accorded national project status by the Centre, although it has no water allocation. The claims of Karnataka over 29.5 tmcft water planned to be used through Upper Bhadra were sub-judice too.

“The KWDT-II Award based on which Karnataka is constructing Upper Bhadra is yet to be notified for implementation and Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have also moved the Supreme Court against the project taken up without availability of water and the matter is pending there. However, the CWC Directorate has cleared the project in spite of the issue of water availability for it being sub-judice,” the senior engineer holding a key position said.

As against the Upper Bhadra water case pending in the Supreme Court, the matter over 45 tmc ft meant for PRLIS is not sub-judice but is only being heard by KWDT-II after AP moved it against the GO issued for water allocation by Telangana. It is planning to highlight the discrimination in projects’ appraisal in MoJS so that the project could be taken forward and completed to meet needs in the drought-prone areas within the Krishna Basin.