Uttam taps CWC for allotment of water to PRIL, Sammakka projects
Hyderabad: In a determined push to resolve Telangana's pressing irrigation and water allocation concerns, State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy met Central Water Commission (CWC) Chairman Atul Jain in New Delhi on Wednesday. The meeting focused on expediting water allocations for two major projects — the Palamuru-RangaReddy Lift Irrigation Scheme (PRLIS) and the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage, while also raising critical issues related to inter-State water management, infrastructure safety, and backwater impact from the Polavaram project.
The Minister requested a total water allocation of 90 tmcft for PRLIS, with an immediate sanction of 45 tmcft in the first phase, citing that Telangana had already complied with all procedural and documentation requirements laid down by the CWC.
Similarly, the Sammakka-Sarakka Barrage, located at Thupakulagudem in Mulugu district, is designed to stabilise irrigation for nearly 5.55 lakh hectares under the JChokka Rao Devadula Lift Irrigation Scheme and the Sriram Sagar Project (stages I and II). With a total capacity of 6.94 tmcft, the barrage will also cater to drinking water needs of several villages along its route.
Uttam urged the CWC to expedite the allocation of 44 tmcft for the Sammakka-Sarakka project, noting that all necessary maps and documentation had been submitted. He underlined the importance of early approval to ensure that agrarian communities dependent on these projects are not left vulnerable to recurring droughts.
In addition to these project-specific matters, the Minister expressed serious concerns over the illegal diversion of Krishna River water by Andhra Pradesh. He called on the CWC to immediately install telemetry instruments at critical points along the river to monitor water flows and prevent unauthorised withdrawals. He pointed out that Telangana had already released its financial share for the installation of these instruments to the Krishna River Management Board (KRMB).
Highlighting another major concern, Uttam Kumar Reddy drew attention to the potential backwater threat from the Polavaram Project. He urged the CWC to undertake a fresh assessment of backwater impacts on Telangana's border villages and recommend necessary safeguards to prevent flooding and displacement.
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