Raise submergence issues, officials told

Bring pressure on ministry, says Harish

Irrigation minister T. Harish Rao on Wednesday directed the Telangana irrigation officials who will take part in the meeting convened by Union water resources ministry on Thursday in Delhi, to take up the submergence of lands in Telangana state issue that will happen with the completion of Polavaram reservoir.

He said officials should bring pressure on the water resources ministry to direct the Polavaram Project Authority to make a study on the submergence issue before proceeding with the construction of Polavaram reservoir.

Mr Harish Rao told the officials that there will be an impact of submergence for about 124 kilometres area in the state on account of backwaters of Polavaram reservoir. This included a threat of inundation of the famous Sitarama temple in Bhadrachalam along with several surrounding villages. There is also the likelihood of the submergence of Manuguru heavy water plant and surrounding Singareni coal mines.

Mr Harish Rao has asked the officials to press for 45 TMC ft of Godavari waters share from Pattiseema Lift Scheme to be diverted to Krishna Basin in Telangana as per the existing awards by the tribunals.

The minister also directed the officials to insist with the Centre that any water allocation or distribution cannot be the subject matter for the Krishna or Godavari River Management Boards as the matter is being heard by Justice Brijesh Kumar Tribunal. However, he asked them to press the case before the Central government in Thursday’s meeting and point out that of 811 TMC ft of the existing allotment of Krishna waters, Telangana state is entitled to utilise 575 TMC ft of water due to more spread of Krishna basin in the state than in AP.

Chief secretary S.K. Joshi, principal secretary (irrigation) Vikas Raj, engineers-in-chief C. Muralidhar and Nagender Rao and other chief engineers attended the review meeting held by the minister.