State seeks water from Karnataka, Maharashtra to meet drinking needs: Uttam

State seeks water from Karnataka, Maharashtra to meet drinking needs: Uttam

hyderabad

The Telangana government has been requesting Maharashtra to give 30 tmc ft water from Koyna dam and Karnataka to share 10 tmc ft water from Almatti dam to meet its drinking water needs in the coming summer season. This is due to lean water flows into the Krishna Basin projects this (water) year, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said.

A delegation led by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy would soon visit Karnataka with the request for the release of 10 tmc ft water and it was offered to Maharashtra that Telangana would bear the cost of electricity generated with the help of 30 tmc ft in Koyna dam that was being sought for drinking needs here, Mr. Uttam Reddy said at a review meeting held here on Saturday.

The Minister asked the irrigation authorities to speed up works of 18 projects both in the Krishna and Godavari Basins projects to create irrigation potential to give water to 4.5-5 lakh acres by year-end. He stated that the BRS government had borrowed money indiscriminately in the name of projects but had failed to derive desired benefits.

He told the officials to overcome all hurdles in time and ensure that the ayacut proposed to get water in time with a focus on projects that would create new irrigation potential by the commencement of the new water year – June. He asked them to prepare an action plan on the new ayacut planned under new projects, including Chinna Kaleshwaram envisaged for Manthani constituency, over the next five years.

Further, the Minister wanted the authorities to take up works to de-silt canals and tanks, and jungle clearance in canals during the ensuing summer season for free flow of water. He told them to take steps so that minor lift irrigation schemes under the Irrigation Development Corporation could function with full capacity.

On Kaleshwaram (Medigadda) project, the Minister said the vigilance inquiry into the barrage damage had already commenced and a letter was already addressed to the High Court Chief Justice for allotment of a sitting judge to probe into the irregularities in Kaleshwaram project.