Maharashtra will independently assess Telangana’s Thumidihatti irrigation project, including a proposal to raise the project height from 148 metres to 152 metres, after concerns emerged over the extent of land and areas that could be submerged in the state.
The decision followed a meeting between Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at Sahyadri Guest House in Mumbai. Telangana’s Water Resources Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy and a delegation briefed Maharashtra on the project and sought approval for the proposed increase in height.
A joint committee comprising the chief secretaries and water resources department secretaries of both states will examine the technical aspects of the proposal. Its assessment will include the potential submergence area, the impact on a relevant wildlife sanctuary and the extent of land that may be required outside the riverbed.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra would take a constructive approach towards cooperation with Telangana while protecting the interests of its citizens. He said the state would have no objection to a positive decision if another state benefited without causing harm to Maharashtra’s residents.
Maharashtra had previously adopted a positive position on Telangana’s proposal, according to Fadnavis. However, subsequent observations indicated that the actual submergence area under the earlier approval could be larger than initially anticipated. The state therefore wants a detailed assessment of the revised proposal before taking a final position.
The review places the project within the administrative process for resolving inter-state water and infrastructure disputes. Fadnavis said Telangana officials would be able to raise objections or point out shortcomings in Maharashtra’s assessment. Officials from both states would then discuss those issues, with expert opinions to be sought if required.
Questions relating to water allocation and statutory clearances fall under the jurisdiction of the Central Water Commission, Fadnavis said. Once the commission seeks Maharashtra’s opinion, the state will submit its position on the basis of the findings and technical information available to it.
The Thumidihatti project’s proposed height increase has therefore not received a final approval from Maharashtra. The state’s decision will follow the independent assessment and subsequent technical discussions between the two governments.
Maharashtra Water Resources Minister Girish Mahajan attended the meeting virtually, while Uttam Kumar Reddy was present in person. Maharashtra Chief Secretary Rajesh Agrawal, Telangana Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju and senior officials from the water resources and other concerned departments also participated in the discussions.
The joint committee’s assessment and the Central Water Commission’s subsequent request for Maharashtra’s views will determine the next formal stage in the project’s approval process.
