Telangana Eyes 152m Tummidihetti Barrage to Boost Adilabad Irrigation

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy is set to discuss a 152-metre height for the Tummidihetti barrage with Maharashtra to boost irrigation for 2 lakh acres in Adilabad while ensuring no significant submergence risks to neighboring villages.

Telangana Pushes for Tummidihetti Barrage Expansion

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has directed irrigation officials to prepare for discussions with the Maharashtra government on the proposed Tummidihetti barrage, with the state seeking a height of 152 metres to maximise water diversion and provide irrigation to two lakh acres in the undivided Adilabad district. According to the Telangana Chief Minister's Office (CMO), Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed his willingness to hold discussions after October 23, following which CM Reddy instructed officials to keep all technical details ready and prepare a comprehensive case to secure Maharashtra's agreement on the proposed barrage height.

The Chief Minister held a review meeting with irrigation department officials at the Bodhi Pavilion, attended by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Irrigation Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy, Ministers Jupally Krishna Rao and Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Rajya Sabha member Vem Narender Reddy, and senior irrigation officials. During the meeting, the Chief Minister reviewed contentious issues concerning the Tummidihetti barrage and the Dindi and Achampet lift irrigation projects.

Impact and Technical Assessment

Irrigation engineers briefed him on the volume of water that could be diverted up to the Yellampalli project if the barrage were constructed at heights of 152 metres and 150 metres, respectively. According to the officials, the proposed barrage would not pose any risk of submergence to villages in Maharashtra. However, a barrage at 152 metres would result in the submergence of approximately 2,300 acres of land, while construction at 150 metres would limit the affected area to less than 1,000 acres. CM Reddy directed the officials to assess the potential submergence impact in Maharashtra and explore the construction of the barrage in a manner that maximises water diversion, while taking the affected area into account.

Strategic Importance for Adilabad

The Chief Minister also instructed officials to keep all records of previous meetings between Telangana and Maharashtra held in Delhi under the aegis of the Central Water Commission (CWC) readily available and ensure that all information sought by the commission is provided promptly. Highlighting the importance of the project, the CMO said the Tummidihetti barrage was intended to provide irrigation water to two lakh acres in the undivided Adilabad district, which has extensive forest areas, a large tribal population and significant socio-economic backwardness. The Chief Minister expressed hope that positive discussions and consultations with Maharashtra would help resolve the decades-old water crisis in the tribal-dominated district. He stressed that the project would benefit forest-dwelling communities that had long struggled under the banner of "Jal, Jungle, Zameen" (Water, Forest and Land). Officials were directed to make all necessary arrangements to expedite the project and fulfil the irrigation requirements of the people of Adilabad, according to the CMO.

Considering the project's significance, Revanth Reddy instructed irrigation engineers to focus on designing the route for water flow from Tummidihetti to Yellampalli and initiate land acquisition once clarity emerged on the barrage's height. The Chief Minister pointed out that Maharashtra had earlier agreed to construct the barrage at a height of 148 metres, but said such a low height would not permit the diversion of the required volume of water. The meeting discussed preparing comprehensive technical reports on water availability, the extent of the submergence area and other relevant factors to persuade the Maharashtra government to agree to a height of 152 metres. The Chief Minister also directed officials to submit details of recent CWC meetings in Delhi, including the key issues discussed and reports sought by the commission. He asked the ministers to clearly articulate Telangana's water requirements and effectively present the state's position during discussions with Maharashtra.

Lift Irrigation and Project Developments

During the review, CM Reddy also examined the increasing water requirements of the Dindi and Achampet lift irrigation schemes. He instructed officials to make arrangements to lift 0.5 thousand million cubic feet (TMC) of water from the Edula reservoir for the Dindi project and 0.1 TMC for the Achampet lift irrigation scheme. The Chief Minister further directed officials to arrange for the total requirement of 0.6 TMC for the two projects to be sourced from the Srisailam reservoir. A dedicated system is to be established to lift additional water from Srisailam through Narlapur to the Yedula reservoir. Reddy ordered irrigation officials to conduct an immediate study and prepare designs examining the locations for pumps and pump houses, the adequacy of the existing canal and tunnel infrastructure, and the stretches where canal capacity would need to be expanded. These measures, he said, should ensure that the Palamuru project faces no shortage of water. The works must be carried out in a manner that enables water to be supplied from Yedula to the Dindi and Achampet projects without affecting the water allocations earmarked for Palamuru.

The meeting also discussed concerns and requests raised by representatives from Mahabubnagar and Nalgonda districts regarding the supply of water to the Dindi project from either Narlapur or Yedula. Officials presented a detailed PowerPoint presentation comparing the estimated costs of the two options and outlining their respective advantages and disadvantages. The ministers supported the Chief Minister's proposal to secure additional water for the Dindi and Achampet lift irrigation schemes while ensuring that the supply earmarked for the Palamuru project remained entirely unaffected, according to the CMO. State Irrigation Advisor Adityanath, CMO Secretary Manikraj, Secretary (Tunnel) Colonel Parikshit Mehra, Irrigation Joint Secretary Srinivas, and the chief engineers of all the projects were also present at the meeting.

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