Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that he will shortly meet his Karnataka counterpart Siddaramaiah to seek a share of water by gravity directly from Alamatti dam to implement the Palamuru lift-irrigation scheme which will also meet the drinking water requirements of Hyderabad.
Answering questions at a press conference here on Friday, Mr. Rao recalled his stated stand that the raising of Alamatti dam height will help the cause of Telangana. About 300 tmc ft of water was impounded in the project against an allocation of only 196 tmc ft which was a “positive” matter for Telangana.
An aqueduct will have to be constructed over Bheema river to draw the water by gravity.
The proposal will yield 100 tmc ft for the lift-irrigation scheme, he added.
Turning to the objections of Maharashtra government on Pranahita – Chevella project, he said the government will discuss with Water and Power Consultancy Services (WAPCOS), a consultancy organisation of the Ministry of Water Resources, the design lapses in the project in a day or two.
The Maharashtra government was not opposed to Telangana using 160 tmc ft as per the design but it sought decrease in the height of the barrage at Tummidi Hetti on the border with Adilabad. “Telangana government will have no problem in it”.
Mr. Rao said the second budget of Telangana to be presented on March 11 will reflect accurate picture of its finances as the first one was drawn going by trends in revenue earning departments.
