Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has agreed to reconsider Telangana’s proposal to raise the height of the proposed Tummidihatti barrage on the Pranahita river from 148 metres to 152 metres, opening a fresh inter-state review of water availability, land submergence and the impact on farmers.
The proposal was discussed during a meeting between Fadnavis and Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy in Mumbai on Monday. Fadnavis suggested forming a joint committee headed by the principal secretaries of the irrigation departments of both states to examine the technical, environmental and administrative aspects of the project.
According to the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office, the committee will assess the proposed barrage height, water availability, the extent of submergence at different levels, the agricultural land likely to be affected and compensation requirements. A final decision will be taken after the assessment and consultations between the two states.
Fadnavis said Maharashtra was open to reconsidering Telangana’s request but emphasised that the proposal would have to pass several technical, environmental and administrative processes. He also said Maharashtra would conduct an independent study on the feasibility of the revised height, including the suitability of the construction site and the land that could be affected.
“If the project does not adversely affect Maharashtra or its people, our govt will have no hesitation in supporting Telangana’s water requirements in the larger national interest,” Fadnavis reportedly told the meeting, according to the Telangana CMO.
If Telangana objects to the findings of the study, officials from both states will jointly review the estimates and hold further consultations, the Maharashtra government said during the discussions. The proposed process places the effect on land and residents in Maharashtra alongside Telangana’s irrigation requirements in the decision-making framework.
Telangana renewed its demand for a 152-metre barrage after arguing that the 148-metre height provided for under the original 2016 agreement would not adequately meet the irrigation requirements of the region. The Telangana government said the earlier arrangement, agreed to by the previous BRS government, constrained the state’s ability to fully utilise its share of Pranahita river water.
Irrigation Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy, who accompanied Revanth Reddy, made a detailed presentation in support of the higher structure. He cited rising energy costs, environmental concerns, climate change and the need for long-term operational sustainability while arguing that a higher barrage would enable greater use of gravity-based water conveyance systems.
Uttam described the 152-metre option as the most viable alternative for meeting the region’s future water requirements. Telangana also informed Maharashtra that it was willing to compensate farmers affected by submergence in accordance with the state’s land acquisition and compensation policies.
The proposed joint committee is the next formal step before Maharashtra reaches a conclusion on the revised barrage height. Revanth Reddy also invited Fadnavis to attend the Invest Telangana Global Summit, scheduled at Bharat Future City on the outskirts of Hyderabad from December 7 to 9.
