Hyderabad, May 27 (IANS) The Telangana government has initiated discussions with Maharashtra on finalising the height and construction of the Tummidihatti Barrage across the Godavari River.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy has written a letter to his Maharashtra counterpart, Devendra Fadnavis, and requested that a schedule be finalised for talks with a delegation led by him from the Telangana government.

As part of the B.R. Ambedkar Pranahita–Chevella Sujala Sravanthi Project, the state government has proposed constructing a barrage at Tummidihatti.

Initially, it was intended to construct the barrage at a height of 152 metres.

During an Inter-State Board meeting held on August 23, 2016, the Maharashtra government agreed to construct the barrage at Tummidihatti at a height of 148 metres.

The Maharashtra government also assured that it would extend cooperation in obtaining the necessary clearances.

Following the decision to expedite completion of the Pranahita–Chevella Project, the present government in Telangana recently reviewed the issue by holding a series of meetings with top officials and irrigation experts.

Based on expert advice, the government concluded that an FRL (Full Reservoir Level) of 148 metres would be insufficient to meet North Telangana’s water requirements.

Consequently, CM Revanth Reddy mentioned in the letter to the Maharashtra Chief Minister that a fresh round of discussions on the height of the Tummidihatti barrage was important to address the irrigation and drinking water needs of Adilabad, Nizamabad, Karimnagar, and Medak districts.

Further, the CM explained that the impact of submergence in Maharashtra would remain minimal even if the FRL were to slightly exceed 148 metres.

It would be easier to bring water to Telangana through gravity if the FRL were increased, the Chief Minister asserted.

The Congress government last year decided to revive the Pranahita–Chevella Project across the Godavari River in the erstwhile Adilabad district.

It promised to correct the “historic mistake” committed by the previous Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) regime, which merged the original Pranahita–Chevella project into the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy had said on April 29 that the state government is committed to the construction of the Pranahita–Chevella Project.

He said proposals have been prepared in line with the assurance given in the election manifesto.

The government is making determined efforts to divert water from Tummidihatti to Yellampalli to irrigate lakhs of acres, while also examining alternative proposals for the same alignment.

–IANS

ms/dan