TG Proposes to Build 2 Reservoirs in Krishna Basin

The Telangana government has proposed two reservoirs in the Krishna river basin to utilize Godavari waters.

- VV Balakrishna @Hyderabad

While accepting the transfer of Godavari water from Ichampally with conditions for the proposed Godavari-Cauvery link project, the state government made it clear that it wants a 74 tmcft share, which is 50 percent of the total water to be diverted through the link.

At the 6th consultation meeting convened by the National Water Development Agency (NWDA) at Jala Soudha here on Friday to arrive at a consensus for implementation of the Godavari-Cauvery Link Project, the Telangana Irrigation officials wanted to have liberty to use 74 tmcft anywhere from the river in the state.

Speaking to TNIE after the meeting, an official said that the government proposed to construct two reservoirs in the Krishna river basin for this purpose.

Telangana officials, however, opposed the four intra-link projects proposed by the Andhra Pradesh government during the meeting, which was attended by Telangana Irrigation Principal Secretary Rahul Bojja and Godavari Basin Deputy Director S Subramanya Prasad.

They argued that the Union government should protect the state's right for 968 tmcft assured waters and clear all the pending projects proposed on Godavari before transferring Godavari waters to the Cauvery basin.

Planned utilization

Stating that their planned utilization was 38 tmcft for Devadula, 67 tmcft for Sitarama and 47 tmcft for Sammakka barrage, the Telangana officials wanted the Centre to not disturb their plans.