Revanth flags 10 TMC RDS water shortfall

Urges swift Centre intervention

metro india news  I hyderabad

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy described Thursday's high level meeting on the Tungabhadra water sharing issue as a "Red Letter Day" in the history of inter state water cooperation, expressing confidence that it would pave the way for a permanent solution to long standing disputes affecting Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.

Addressing a public meeting at Munirabad after the inauguration of the newly installed 33 spillway gates at the Tungabhadra Dam, the Chief Minister said the occasion was far more significant than the commissioning of new gates. He termed it the beginning of a lasting resolution to a problem that has affected three generations of farmers across the region.

Revanth Reddy appealed to Union Jal Shakti Minister C.R. Patil to expedite efforts towards a comprehensive settlement of the Tungabhadra water sharing issue. He expressed confidence that the Union Minister would facilitate a permanent and equitable solution benefiting all the three states.

Emphasising that farmers' welfare should take precedence over political differences, the Chief Minister said every political force must rise above partisan interests and work collectively to safeguard the interests of the farming community. He remarked that the discussions held on the banks of the Tungabhadra River reflected a shared commitment to cooperation rather than confrontation.

Highlighting Telangana's concerns, Revanth Reddy said the state has been able to utilise only 5 to 6 TMC of water out of the 17.9 TMC allocated to the Rajolibanda Diversion Scheme, leaving nearly 10 TMC unutilised due to silt accumulation in the Tungabhadra reservoir and unresolved water allocation issues. He said these concerns had been placed before the Union Minister during the meeting and that all participants agreed on the need for a permanent solution.

The Chief Minister said the restoration of the 33 spillway gates would benefit lakhs of farmers and significantly improve irrigation prospects in Gadwal, Alampur and Palamuru regions. He recalled that even the Mysore rulers had set aside differences in the larger interest of farmers, urging present day leaders to adopt the same spirit of cooperation.

Expressing optimism over the outcome of the meeting, Revanth Reddy said the first ever joint deliberations involving the Chief Ministers of the three states and the Union Jal Shakti Minister marked an important beginning. He hoped the initiative would usher in a new era of cooperation and provide a durable framework for resolving inter state river water disputes across the region.

Southern states must unite: Babu 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday called for greater cooperation among states to safeguard farmers’ interests, stressing that water management and river interlinking are crucial for the country’s long-term agricultural and economic security.

Chandrababu Naidu said that although states have different administrative boundaries, the nation remains one, and governments must work collectively for the welfare of farmers. He noted that the Tungabhadra project has been a lifeline, providing irrigation and drinking water to millions of people across Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Telangana.

Recalling the August 2024 incident in which the dam’s 19th crest gate was washed away, the Chief Minister said Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka jointly undertook restoration works. A stop-lock gate was initially installed to prevent water loss, followed by the replacement of all 33 crest gates at a cost of ₹51 crore, significantly strengthening the dam’s infrastructure.