CM Revanth urges Centre to resolve Tummidihatti issue

metro india news  I hyderabad

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Wednesday urged the Union Government to expedite approvals for Telangana's major irrigation projects, including the Tummidihatti Barrage, Palamuru Rangareddy Lift Irrigation Scheme, Seethamma Sagar, Dindi and Gouravelli projects, during separate meetings with Union Ministers in New Delhi.

In a meeting with Union Jal Shakti Minister C. R. Patil, accompanied by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, the Chief Minister requested the Centre to facilitate Maharashtra's approval for increasing the proposed height of the Tummidihatti Barrage on the Pranahita River from the earlier agreed 148 metres to 150 to 152 metres.

Revanth Reddy explained that studies conducted by the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS), Pune, had established that raising the barrage height would not significantly increase the submergence area. He pointed out that nearly half of the affected area would remain within the river bed and that a higher barrage would enable gravity based water supply, eliminating the need for energy intensive lifting of water.

The Chief Minister also requested the Union Minister to convene an early meeting between Telangana and Maharashtra to resolve the issue, stating that the project would provide much needed irrigation to the backward regions of the undivided Adilabad district.

Responding positively, C. R. Patil informed the Chief Minister that the Prime Minister's Office had forwarded the matter to the Jal Shakti Ministry. He said the process would begin with a meeting of officials from both States under the Central Water Commission, followed by discussions involving the Irrigation Ministers of Telangana and Maharashtra.

CM meets Bhupender Yadav

Earlier, Revanth Reddy met Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Bhupender Yadav and sought immediate environmental clearances for the Palamuru Rangareddy, Seethamma Sagar, Dindi and Gouravelli irrigation projects.

The Chief Minister informed the Union Minister that Telangana had already invested over ₹42,800 crore in these projects, but construction had stalled due to pending environmental approvals, resulting in escalating costs. Referring to the recent Supreme Court judgment, he urged the Centre to grant clearances without delay so that the long pending irrigation projects could be completed and brought into use at the earliest.

Telangana MPs, senior irrigation officials and the State Government's Special Representative in New Delhi attended the meetings.